Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has defended his Administration’s decision to issue contracts in excess of $1.2 billion to build bases for approximately 2,500 semi-permanent houses for people whose homes were destroyed by Hurricane Melissa last October.

“There is a criticism that the cost of building the bases [is] extremely high, and I reflected on this. If we are going to build bases for temporary houses, should we just go and put the stumps in the ground and leave it? We could probably do that… but would that have built resilience for the next hurricane?” Holness said.

The prime minister was speaking Tuesday morning at a signing ceremony between the Government of Jamaica and the European Union (EU) to formalise a grant for €5 million (more than $700 million) towards the National Reconstruction Implementation Support Project, part of Jamaica’s national resilient rebuilding efforts.

The prime minister explained that work surrounding building of the bases includes excavation of foundations, installation of sewerage and water distribution systems, transportation and other infrastructural fixtures. As a result, he said, they can be used, in the future, in the construction of permanent buildings.

Turning his attention to the EU grant, Holness stressed that there are clearly defined plans for the funding which was designed to strengthen the Government’s capacity to manage and deliver the National Reconstruction Programme.

“I am going to hasten to say that this is not the kind of grant that is going to be distributed to everyone. We have received some of those grants and I believe it is now time to give an update as to what we are doing with funds that we have received. But this grant is for technical assistance. That should be made clear,” the prime minister asserted.

He said the grant funding will support the planning and management of the programme as a whole. This will include putting in place procedures and systems to monitor progress and assure quality, risk-informed planning and engineering designs, costing, procurement strategy and environmental management.

“This is absolutely critical. For many Jamaicans, particularly in communities most affected, recovery has been deeply personal as thousands struggle to return some normalcy to their lives… But in as much as there is still work to be done, and there are persons who have not received benefits, Jamaica has done extremely well in our recovery,” he added.

Holness scoffed at criticism that the Government has not been adept at meeting the needs of those devastated by the Category 5 storm.

“Jamaica’s hurricane response has improved dramatically… there are those who would want to paint a picture of purely doom and gloom and that the Government has not done a good job. I stoutly reject that and point to the facts. Yes, there are cases, without question… and there is still human suffering, but you have to judge the system response on the bigger picture; and on the bigger picture, Jamaica has done extremely well,” he insisted.