GOVERNMENT on Wednesday received US$398,000 worth of aid from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to boost relief efforts in sections of the island that have been devastated by the passage of Hurricane Dean.

The aid arrived in a large cargo plane Wednesday at the Norman Manley International Airport.

James Harmon, acting director of USAID/Jamaica, said the emergency relief commodities that were airlifted from Miami, Florida in the United States consists of 6,000 blankets, 600 rolls of plastic sheeting, 5,000 water containers and hygiene kits for over 2,500 families.

“I hope all of these goods go a long way in helping thousands of Jamaicans to rebuild their lives,” Harmon said.

Ronald Jackson, director general of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), said the donation came at a time when “we are hearing many cries, many voices about the urgent need for us to attend to their needs”.

“The needs we have identified are many, but the priority needs are roofing, water supply, hygiene and bedding,” he explained. “This shipment from USAID will go a far way in addressing these needs. We will be able with the support of the government welfare team and the non-government organisations and faith-based organisations to put a dent in the needs along the south coast.”

He said ODPEM would be working with the non-governmental organisations including Seventh-day Adventist churches, the Catholic relief services and the Red Cross to distribute the relief commodities.

“We do not do the final line of relief distribution, we don’t have the manpower on the ground for that so we work through established groups, non-governmental organisations to lend some integrity to the process to ensure that there is balance and fairness,” he said, adding that the supplies will be distributed as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Jamaica Brenda LaGrange Johnson said that USAID would also provide US$275,000 to Jamaica. This includes US$25,000 that was immediately given to ODPEM for emergency response activities. In addition, she said US$150,000 would be donated to non-governmental organisations for emergency response activities and another US$100,000 would also be given to the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) to assist with health-related needs.

The ambassador also noted that she, along with Former Ambassador Sue Cobb and Glen Holden, would set up a special fund to assist 1,000 families who have lost their homes.