KINGSTON, Jamaica — Hundreds of households still living under damaged or missing roofs more than two months after Hurricane Beryl could soon get help, as the Ministry of Labour and Social Security moves to formalise a partnership with the charity Global Empowerment Mission (GEM).
Labour and Social Security Minister Pearnel Charles Jr. said a Memorandum of Understanding with the organisation was being prepared for Cabinet, with approval expected within about a week. Under the proposed arrangement, GEM would provide roofing materials free of charge to beneficiaries, while the ministry would pay for the labour needed to install them. The initial target is 500 roofs in the communities that suffered the heaviest damage when Beryl swept past the island on July 3.
Validation delays slow cash grants
The roofing initiative comes alongside the Government’s Rebuild Jamaica cash-grant programme, which the minister said had so far validated and processed more than 1,500 people for payments. Roughly 3,500 cases, however, were still awaiting validation.
Mr Charles Jr. pointed to problems such as Tax Registration Numbers that did not match official records and documents lost in the storm. In parishes where the difficulties have been most pronounced, including St Elizabeth and Clarendon, the ministry plans to verify applicants in person.
Community meetings were scheduled to begin the following week in affected parishes, and Members of Parliament are to receive lists of beneficiaries so they can help locate constituents whose applications remain incomplete. The ministry also intends to commission an audit once the programme winds down, to review its procedures and confirm that grant money was used as intended.
Fairness and transparency the stated goal
The minister described the recovery effort as a national undertaking and said the Government was making a deliberate effort to distribute relief fairly and transparently.
For affected homeowners, the practical message is to make sure their records are in order. Applicants whose TRN details do not match, or who have lost identification in the storm, should attend the community validation sessions or contact their parish office, since unresolved paperwork is now the main obstacle between them and assistance. Families hoping to benefit from the free roofing materials should also watch for official word on how the 500 beneficiaries will be selected once the agreement is approved. For the wider housing market, restoring secure roofs quickly reduces the risk of further water damage and helps protect the value of homes in the hardest-hit parishes ahead of the rest of the hurricane season.
Follow Jamaica Homes on Youtube @jamaicahomes and Instagram @jamaica_homes and on Facebook @jamaicahomesnews Send us a message or email us at onlinefeedback@jamaica-homes.com or editor@jamaica-homes.com
Visit our YouTube Community ↗