Government to spend more for drought response

The Government will be spending an additional $150 million to bolster the response to the ongoing drought that the country is experiencing.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator Matthew Samuda, said the allocation will be used to provide water for essential services as well as severely affected communities. The minister was speaking at yesterday's post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House in St Andrew.

Of the sum, $80 million will go to the National Water Commission (NWC) to increase trucking to critical areas, including hospitals, schools, health centres, homes for the aged as well as communities. Additionally, Samuda said $10 million will go to the National Irrigation Commission to carry out water trucking activities in the hills of St Catherine, Clarendon, St Mary and St Ann. The remaining $60 million will go to the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development to increase its support to local communities in the parishes most severely impacted by the drought conditions.

Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie noted that the ministry has been working closely with the economic growth ministry in addressing some of the water needs of residents.

"We have just concluded the construction of a major facility in St Elizabeth. Quite recently, we opened the largest water shop built, so far, a 30,000-gallon facility in Manchester, and we are looking now to commence work on a new facility in the parish of Clarendon," McKenzie said.

He added that both ministries will be collaborating on a black tank programme for five parishes that are severely affected by the water crisis. McKenzie informed that the programme is expected to be rolled out in the middle of October, noting that the tanks will be distributed through the municipal corporations.