KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Local Goverment and Community Development Desmond McKenzie says Cabinet has given approval for relief efforts to be intensified in the parishes of St Thomas and Clarendon, which suffered from flooding after heavy rains throughout the weekend.

McKenzie, speaking in Parliament this afternoon, said assessments are being done to ensure that relief efforts are directed towards those who were actually affected by flooding.

Additional, the debris created by the flooding and the landslides will be removed by the local authorities and the National Works Agency.

“Just as importantly the Ministry of Health will be engaged as we try to guard against any potential mosquito nuisance or water borne disease as the flood waters subside”, he continued.

He said the NWA is conducting an assessment of major road networks, while the parochial roads are being assessed by the ministry’s technical service division supported by the municipal corporations.

Responding to questions from members of Parliament, McKenzie said that no official financial allocation had been made for the efforts, but the Disaster Relief Fund stood at $350 million, and his ministry would engage the Ministry of Finance for additional funds if necessary.

Meanwhile, People’s National Party’s (PNP) spokesman on Local Government and Member of Parliament for Clarendon South Western, Noel Arscott encouraged the minister to fast track a bill entitled the Building Bill, which he said would have addressed many of the infrastructural issues which led to flooding in Clarendon.