Home repair grants to be given in January – PM

The Government is to commence the distribution of home repair grants in January, says Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness.

He made the disclosure during a Christmas treat held at the Petersfield High School in Westmoreland, recently.

Holness pointed out that most persons are now moving from the relief phase towards the recovery phase.

“They want their roof; they want their house. So, they're moving from the relief phase to the recovery phase, and that is where government comes in, because while everybody can come and drop off a package, very few people have the capability to come and fix your roof,” he said.

“So, government's role then shifts into how we can help you to get your roof up. One of the things that we are going to have to do, as we move from relief to recovery, is that during the relief, we don't ask anybody what is your name, where is your Tax Registration Number (TRN) or bring your ID (identification card). When it comes to house, it's a bigger expenditure and we have to account for it,” he added.

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Holness explained that the Ministry of Labour and Social Security is currently doing assessments across the island. He said the data collected will be used to determine the level of grant assistance persons will receive.

“We send people out into the communities [to] go and look on the house and talk to the people who own the property, take down the name and TRN and ID and we add them to the list,” he stated.

So far, the Ministry has completed more than 50,000 damage assessments islandwide as it continues its response and recovery efforts following the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

“As soon as we reach what is called a critical mass, meaning that we have a large number of households assessed, then we will start to give the grants for people who have moderate or minor damage, moderate to severe damage or severe to extreme damage,” Dr. Holness said.

“Those grants won't be able to build a new house for you; we just simply don't have the money to do that. But the grants will be able to get you to put on back your roof, two or three bedrooms, depending on if you have extreme damage; two-bedroom if you have moderate damage, and put on back a bedroom [if you have] minor damage. That's how we will give the grants,” he explained.

Meanwhile, Holness is urging potential beneficiaries of the grants to use the money wisely and not waste it.

“When you get the grant, the first place you must go is the hardware and rebuild your house. So, we are trying to get that done very quickly, because I know some of you have been out here ‘wet up, sun come bun yuh’ and you're just frustrated and tired now. I understand, so we're going to try and move very quickly… . Early January, we will start to give out the grants,” he said.

- JIS News