IN the wake of the devastation unleashed by Hurricane Melissa the State is banking on the Church’s deep spiritual and cultural legacy to help provide vital psychological support to Jamaicans in affected communities.

Additionally, the Government has allocated $75 million to assist with the restoration of damaged churches, and is making arrangements for the National Housing Trust (NHT) to provide loans for the rebuilding of those structures.

“This will do a great deal in that battle that we are facing [with] the mental capacity of many persons. Remember, a lot of our pastors within our churches are also good counsellors and they offer a dual role, [as] outside of the spiritual role they also provide that level of assurance in critical times that we are facing,” Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie told the Jamaica Observer at the handover ceremony of 10 tipper trucks to the National Solid Waste Management Authority on Tuesday.

“The $75 million might not seem to be a lot but as we go along we will see how we can extend the reach-out to the churches,” added McKenzie.

He said that getting churches back in operation is an integral part of recovery, noting their capability to provide comfort and spiritual intervention for people struggling mentally from trauma, loss, and grief from the effects of the Category 5 storm that struck the island on October 28.

“What we must all understand is that the Church sits on the National Disaster Committee, and a significant number of Jamaicans find comfort in the Church. That is one area [through which] the Government can reach out that will help. I think what we are doing is a response that is needed, because many of these churches provide a comfort away from home for many Jamaicans,” McKenzie said.

He noted that churches hold deep historical and cultural significance to Jamaica and as such, their recovery is of paramount importance.

“One of the things that we have noticed in the survey [of hurricane damage] is that quite a number of churches that have been destroyed are over 100 years old. They have historical value, not just to the Church community but to Jamaica. So, for those that need a minimal amount for rebuilding and for clean-up, there will be management to try and put back many of the facilities in place,” explained McKenzie.

The plan to have the NHT facilitate loans for the rebuilding of hurricane-damaged churches was shared by Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness in his keynote address at the commissioning ceremony.

He also said that the Government is working to provide titles to churches that have been operating on lands without legal ownership.

“We want to acknowledge the Church, the faith-based institutions, for all that they have done, and to let them know that they are an important part of the recovery and reconstruction effort — and we won’t leave them out of the reconstruction and relief effort,” Holness said.