With the less-than-positive recent narrative about government not helping people whose houses were damaged during the hurricanes of September 2017, it is refreshing to learn (see related story) that by now 135 clients have been assisted as part of the home repair project of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Affairs and Labour VSA.
A story In Thursday’s paper regarding St. Maarten Development Fund (SMDF) said it had conducted repairs to 80 dwellings and constructed 16. If one were to add all the similar programmes such as those of the White and Yellow Cross Care Foundation (WYCCF), the Red Cross, various church groups and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) both local and international, the total number probably runs into the hundreds.
That does not mean there aren’t as many or even more persons still living under tarpaulin or in other substandard conditions as the Ombudsman Bureau confirmed late last year after a field study in the districts. However, there are understandably criteria to be met.
Sessions on VSA’s project executed by the Department of Community Development, Family and Humanitarian Affairs (CDFHA) will be held during the next few days at the Government Building on Pond Island, but also in Dutch Quarter, St. Peters and Cole Bay, so anyone looking for help has no real excuse not to attend and register if they haven’t already done so. This is important also for tenants, even though the cooperation of their landlords will ultimately be required if they qualify.
Sure, one could say things have moved too slowly when it comes to this serious issue, but the recovery effort is an ongoing process and it’s not too late to board that train, before it does leave the station.
