Government to Provide Support to Hurricane Beryl Victims Through New Social Housing Programme
“The New Social Housing Programme has turned out to be a blessing not just for persons who need homes but also for those who have been affected by a natural disaster such as Beryl.”
-Prime Minister Holness
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The Government of Jamaica is taking decisive action to assist persons impacted by Hurricane Beryl through the New Social Housing Programme (NSHP).
Prime Minister Andrew Holness announced the government’s plan to leverage the programme to support the rebuilding efforts.
“The government, through the New Social Housing Programme, will assist those most in need. Hurricane Beryl has left a trail of destruction across Jamaica, with estimates suggesting that approximately 500 homes were destroyed and several thousand others suffered severe or minor damage,” stated Prime Minister Holness.
In addressing the immediate needs of the most vulnerable, Prime Minister Holness emphasized the importance of targeted assistance.
“There is a certain percentage of individuals who would not be able to rebuild on their own. These include the elderly, indigent persons, families with many young children where the parents have no means of restoring those homes, and those with disabilities who are unable to restore their homes independently. For these cases, we will be utilizing the New Social Housing Programme to offer additional support,” the Prime Minister said.
Prime Minister Holness continued: “We are going to conduct intensive social work assessments and analyses to determine the final beneficiaries. Once the assessments are complete, we will provide the necessary assistance through this programme, ensuring that those who need it most receive the support.”
The Prime Minister pointed out that this initiative is designed to help those affected rebuild their lives with dignity, restore their sense of security, and regain their independence.
“The New Social Housing Programme has turned out to be a blessing not just for persons who need homes but also for those who have been affected by a natural disaster such as Beryl,” Prime Minister Holness said.
Prime Minister Holness noted that the government, through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, has already allocated 1 billion dollars to assist in the rebuilding of homes, with $400,000 for houses that were destroyed, $150,000 for severely damaged houses, and $50,000 for those with minor damage.
Prime Minister Holness delivered four new housing units under the New Social Housing Programme on Friday (July 26) in Clarendon, one of the parishes hardest hit by the hurricane. Friday’s series of handovers brings to 246 the number of units delivered so far under the NSHP. Almost 290 have been built so far with, close to 900 people benefiting.