Prime Minister Holness Emphasizes Transparency and Accountability in Hurricane Beryl Relief Efforts
“In the past, there has been a less than structured way in the delivery of emergency relief, and that has led to criticisms about the transparency, even accusations of political bias in the dispensation and distribution of relief to needy citizens. It would be a real travesty if such criticisms were made. So I want to assure Jamaica that whatever we do, there must be systems of accountability and transparency.”
– Prime Minister Holness
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Prime Minister Andrew Holness has assured the nation that there will be transparency and accountability in the government’s disaster response mechanisms to the devastating impact of Hurricane Beryl in parts of the country.
The Prime Minister emphasized that relief benefits will reach those in need without political favouritism or partisanship.
During a visit to several areas in southern Jamaica on July 4, Prime Minister Holness conducted a damage assessment of the impact of Hurricane Beryl and outlined the government’s plan to provide relief to those affected.
“We are currently in the disaster response phase, where the first step is the assessment. We want to wrap up the assessment very quickly, and then that assessment will help us curate a response. So, we begin to see what the needs are, and there will be several needs. But with limited resources, you have to set priorities. The Cabinet will determine what the priorities are, and then we will have to find the most effective and efficient way of getting the benefits into the hands of the people,” stated Prime Minister Holness.
The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of a structured and transparent process in the delivery of emergency relief.
“In the past, there has been a less than structured way in the delivery of emergency relief, and that has led to criticisms about the transparency, even accusations of political bias in the dispensation and distribution of relief to needy citizens. It would be a real travesty if such criticisms were made. Having regard to our track record in COVID-19, where we distributed the largest care package in the history of Jamaica, there has not been one complaint about any form of political bias. So I want to assure Jamaica that whatever we do, there must be systems of accountability and transparency,” the Prime Minister added.
Prime Minister Holness stressed that even in emergency situations, the need for accountability and transparency remains paramount.
“I understand that we are in an emergency, but an emergency does not suspend the need for accountability and transparency. So even in an emergency situation, there will be a process,” the Prime Minister noted.
Prime Minister Holness also highlighted that every recipient of government assistance will need to provide a signature and valid identification to ensure all government funds can be accurately tracked to their intended beneficiaries, preventing misuse or diversion.