KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Labour and Social Security will on Friday start the official handover of shelter recovery support under the Shelter Recovery Programme (SRP) at its St Elizabeth parish office in Santa Cruz.

According to a release, the exercise will mark the formal transition from assessment to the coordinated delivery of shelter solutions for households affected by Hurricane Melissa.

The handover ceremony, which will be addressed by Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness and Minister of Labour and Social Security Pearnel Charles Jr, will signal the rollout of assistance under the Restoration of Owner or Occupant Family Shelters (ROOFS) component of the programme. The initiative will provide grant-based support to households whose homes sustained damage during the hurricane.

Speaking ahead of the ceremony, Charles Jr said the programme is grounded in accountability, fairness and verified need.

“The Government of Jamaica is committed to a disciplined, people-centred approach to post-disaster recovery. It is with this commitment that we have designed a data-driven recovery system guided by the principle of ‘one household, one coordinated recovery pathway’. Support is determined by verified need, not discretion, ensuring dignity for beneficiaries and transparency for the public,” he said.

The Shelter Recovery Programme is a nationally coordinated framework aimed at restoring safe and habitable living conditions, while reducing duplication across recovery efforts. Managed by the ministry, the programme integrates cash-based recovery, government-directed and partner-led repairs, relocation solutions and pathways to longer-term housing support.

Under the ROOFS component, grant assistance is determined through verified damage assessments. Eligible households may receive $75,000 for minor damage, $200,000 for major damage and $500,000 for severe damage.

Backed by an allocation of $10 billion, the programme is intended to facilitate large-scale recovery across affected communities, with priority given to seniors, persons with disabilities and households that experienced the most severe impacts.

Reflecting on the significance of the upcoming handover, Charles Jr said the ceremony represents a critical turning point in the Government’s shelter recovery operations.

“This first handover ceremony marks a pivotal moment, as households begin to visibly receive assistance following months of assessments and close coordination with Members of Parliament, municipal corporations and our implementing partners,” he said.