KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS) has moved to clarify that the distribution of grants under the Restoration of Owner or Occupant Family Shelters (ROOFS) programme are tiered and dependent on damage classification whether minor, major, or severe structural impact.

The ministry’s comments follow reports that a beneficiary of the programme was photographed with a cheque of $500,000 at a recent handover ceremony but only received $200,000.

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“At the ROOFS handover ceremony in Hanover on February 25, Ms Angela Allen was photographed with a cheque in the amount of $500,000.00. As she was not one of the beneficiaries originally identified to participate in the ceremony, Ms Allen was informed by MLSS representatives before going on stage that the amount on the cheque might not represent her actual ROOFS grant,” the ministry said in a media release on Tuesday.

“Shortly after receiving the symbolic cheque, Ms Allen received her official notification via text message advising her of a $200,000.00 grant. During the ceremony, she informed the MLSS team on the ground that she had received the message, and it was reiterated that the amount displayed on the cheque was not the amount for which she qualified.”

The ministry said the actual disbursements are determined strictly by verified damage assessments and communicated directly to beneficiaries through official notification channels, including SMS messages containing a voucher code and a link to a QR code.

It said final payments are issued only after verification and approval.

In relation to implementation concerns raised, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Pearnel Charles Jr, stated: “ROOFS is a well-structured system that incorporates innovation and enhanced mechanisms to support post-hurricane recovery interventions. We have already completed some 113,000 household assessments and continue to scale operations to meet demand.”

The ministry said the ROOFS programme continues, with a total of $9.5 billion disbursed to all verified beneficiaries approved for payment.