Campbell calls for dedicated housing recovery programme in Westmoreland Eastern

Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Eastern Dr Dayton Campbell is calling for the establishment of a dedicated Westmoreland Eastern Housing Recovery Programme to help residents still suffering from Hurricane Melissa.

In his contribution to the State of the Constituency Debate earlier this afternoon, Campbell said the programme would see a verified register of damaged homes, published standards and monthly reporting.

He said the most vulnerable families must receive priority and assistance should include grants, building materials, technical guidance and resilient roofing.

“Every approved family should know when work will begin,” he said.

Campbell repeated his criticism of the pace of the Government’s recovery effort, asserting that it has not constructed one house for those displaced nearly 11 months after the passage of the destructive hurricane.

An estimated 8,000 houses were destroyed by Category Five Hurricane Melissa in Westmoreland Eastern last October.

Campbell said thousands of additional houses had suffered extensive damage from the hurricane.

He told his parliamentary colleagues that between 40 and 50 per cent of those whose houses were damaged are still using tarpaulin to cover their roofs.

It is against that background that he made the call for a dedicated programme in the constituency to help residents.

According to Campbell, 47 container homes were provided to displaced constituents.

- Edmond Campbell

Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.