Government Pays Out For Damages
Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
November 27, 2008 (CUOPM)
Government has been assisting families in the Half Way Tree, Old Road and Verchilds communities, who were affected by last month’s passage of Hurricane Omar, which also destroyed or severely damaged homes.
Information obtained from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Ministry of Community and Social Development indicates that nearly EC$140,000 has been spent on food, building materials, household supplies and cleanup.
Co”“ordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr. Carl Herbert has disclosed that a credit facility has been established by Government at Builders Paradise, TDC, S.L. Horsfords, Courts and Ricardo’s Home Centre.
“Table model stoves, pots and pans, building materials, doors, windows, beds, bedding, hinges and locks are items provided from those business places under the Hurricane Omar Immediate Needs Project,” said Mr. Herbert.
Money was also spent on trucking and backhoe services for clean up and disposal of garbage and debris.
He also disclosed that the same day of the storm, officials of the Department of Community and Social Development and the Supervisor of Social Assistance, NEMA District personnel for the areas of Old Road, Verchilds and Half Way Tree and the Red Cross distributed family packs to persons in the affected areas.
The Ministry of Finance spent nearly EC$35,000 in relief supplies comprising water, crackers, rice, flour, sugar, sardines, vienna sausage, tuna, peanut butter, butter, corn meal, corn beef, milk, Milo, Sunquick, peas, saltfish, cooing oil, toilet paper, soap, children pampers and adult pampers for distribution 68 families comprising 162 persons in the Old Road/Verchilds areas and 11 families comprising 31 persons in the area of Half Way Tree.
Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, who is also Minister of National Security and has responsibility for the NEMA and Minister of Health and Social Development and Community Affiars and Parliamentary Representative, Hon. Rupert Herbert visited the areas and held meetings with the affected householders.
The Cabinet of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Government under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Douglas agreed to resettle the householders affected by the hurricane.
The Cabinet last week viewed the complete relocation of all families along the identified coastal area as a project that must be pursued in the medium to long term.
Government has taken measures to re”“settle 25 families on the western coastline whose homes were destroyed or permanently damaged by Hurricane Omar on October 16.
The first phase will see construction of 12 one, two and three”“bedroom homes for 12 families. Four homes will be built at Harry Phipps in Half Way Tree and eight at Wingfield, in Old Road.
The re”“settlement programme, which is jointly financed by the Governments of St. Kitts and Nevis and the Republic of China on Taiwan, will see each home constructed on 4,000 square feet of land provided by the local government. The homes will cost between EC$85,000 and EC$140,000 and allocated according to the current household.