Gov’t provides $100 million for trucking water
ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica— The Government has set aside $100 million to facilitate the trucking of water to communities across the island.
Minister of Local Government and Community Development Desmond McKenzie made the announcement at the groundbreaking ceremony for a water shop in Tryall, St Elizabeth, on February 14.
“Already, the country is experiencing dry conditions [and] the Government has been proactive. We have started to look at how we are going to respond and we have been doing so in a number of ways,” he said.
St Elizabeth, Portland and St Mary are among the parishes currently being severely affected by a dry spell.
The minister said that $10 million will be allocated to the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation to assist with the trucking of water with each councillor receiving 10 water tanks, with capacity for 500 gallons each, to assist residents.
“They (the councillors) will at least be in a position to give one or two tanks to those who are in need,” he noted.
“The Government is committed to ensuring reliable access to potable water for every household in the country,” McKenzie said.
