Gov’t moving swiftly to relocate 9 Trelawny residents still in shelter

FALMOUTH, Trelawny — The Government is in a race against the clock to provide permanent housing for nine people who remain in emergency shelters at Bunkers Hill Community Centre after their homes were severely damaged during the passage of Hurricane Melissa last October.

The disclosure was made by mayor of Falmouth and chairman of the Trelawny Municipal Corporation (TMC) Councillor C Junior Gager, during Thursday’s sitting of the corporation’s regular monthly meeting.

“Their houses were badly damaged and they had nowhere else to go,” he explained.

According to the mayor, the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development and the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation are working together to provide a solution. He noted that the nine individuals will benefit from eight houses, as two brothers currently residing in the shelter will share one of the houses.

With an eye on the current hurricane season, the mayor said the TMC has already completed the necessary groundwork to facilitate the housing programme, including identifying and securing suitable sites for construction of the units.

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“Our team from the local authority went through and checked to ensure that the land was available and everything was in place so that the houses could be built. The estimates were done and submitted to the Ministry of Local Government, and we are now awaiting funding so that the houses can be established,” he explained.

Gager stressed that efforts to relocate the residents are ongoing as they await their homes which are at the procurement stage.

“The estimate was done and we are now awaiting funding so that we can kick off the action of building their homes,” said the mayor.

He said the project would be put to tender. Seeking to reassure that the matter remains a priority, the mayor emphasised that the affected individuals have not been forgotten.

“It is not that they are there and no attention is being placed. The attention is on track. The work is being carried out. The land has been identified and soon they will be able to have their own private homes,” he promised.