Help coming for indigent Westmoreland family
Published:Saturday | April 9, 2022 | 3:05 PM
The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development will be providing housing and other assistance for a family living in the Mint Road area of Grange Hill in Westmoreland.
The family of six currently resides in a small board structure, which they started to improve but have been unable to continue due to financial challenges.
Several members are suffering from an eye disorder that causes blindness, which affects their means of a sustainable livelihood.
Portfolio Minister, Desmond McKenzie, who visited the home on Thursday, told journalists that the Ministry will be moving with “alacrity” to address the family's housing needs under the indigent housing programme.
“We (Government) are going to be providing a decent house, put in the necessary infrastructure, the water harvesting, putting in the water tanks to give them a comfortable home to live,” he noted.
McKenzie said he has also instructed the Westmoreland Poor Relief Department, through the Board of Supervision “to do what is necessary” to assist.
“They need immediate help and we are going to be making some emergency arrangements to start to assist them as of tomorrow (March 8),” McKenzie said.
“The Social Development Commission (SDC) is going to be doing a check to see what kind of business the father is doing and to see if, under their programme, we can offer some assistance to this family,” he added.
He indicated that Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Western, Morland Wilson, will also be partnering on the housing project.
“There are more cases within the community that we are going to be dealing with but this one is the most pressing of all. They (the family) are trying but it is totally impossible for them to conclude what they are doing,” McKenzie pointed out.
A member of the family, Veneisha Baker, who is visually impaired, said they are elated about the commitment of assistance.
She noted that the family faces many daily challenges but has always tried to push forward.
“So, I appreciate what Minister McKenzie is going to do for us and our MP Morland. Many thanks,” she said.
- JIS News
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