Politicians moving to boost support for SE Clarendon in COVID fight
Published:Friday | April 3, 2020 | 12:00 AMCecelia Campbell-Livingston/Gleaner Writer
With health officials announcing six new COVID-19 cases in South East Clarendon on Wednesday, making the parish’s 10 cases the highest outside of the Corporate Area, political representatives are moving to use their influence to assist residents and help contain the spread.
Pearnel Charles Jr, who was sworn in as member of parliament for South East Clarendon less than a month ago, told The Gleaner yesterday that he is mainly focusing on distributing care packages to the most vulnerable persons in the communities, with Longville Park, Hayes, and Portland Cottage joining Corn Piece as areas of concern.
“We will utilise the allocation made by Government and supplement that with contributions made by corporate partners,” he said, referencing an additional $2 million allocation to each member of parliament’s Constituency Development Fund to fight the virus.
Companies aid with relief efforts
In addition, Charles Jr said that assistance from Grace, Jamaica Guandong Association, and Progressive Foods has been helping with relief efforts.
The MP said he has been working with councillors, health personnel, the security forces, and officials from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to assist residents.
Like Charles Jr, Patricia Duncan Sutherland, the People’s National Party’s caretaker for the constituency, also indicated that she has been working with the same entities to send relief packages to needy residents.
Duncan Sutherland said she is also working to assist the needs of residents in quarantine in case there is a shortfall from the Government and has reached out to a number of stakeholders to mobilise support.
“I have been in touch with companies regarding the supply of disposable baby diapers, and two have agreed to give – Geddes Grant and Lasco – so they are giving to them directly,” she told The Gleaner.
Duncan Sutherland said that she has been using her own town crier to go into the various communities in the constituency to remind persons to play their part in protecting themselves and others and also to to respect protocols and guidelines introduced to curtail the spread of the virus.