Devon Evans, Gleaner Writer
OCHO RIOS, St. Ann
THE OFFICE of National Reconstruction (ONR) has come under fire from the St. Ann Parish Council for failing to provide assistance to hurricane victims in the parish.
The council noted that despite the widespread devastation in Cave Valley and other communities in St. Ann following the passage of Hurricane Ivan last September, the ONR has still not provided any form of assistance to those communities.
Mayor Delroy Giscombe has also accused the ONR's head, Danville Walker, of being disrespectful for failing to respond to a letter sent to him over two months ago inviting him to meet with the council to discuss hurricane relief.
The matter came up for discussion at Thursday's monthly meeting of the St. Ann Parish Council where councillors agreed to send a strong letter to Mr. Walker outlining their grouses.
Deputy Mayor Sydney Stewart said the council was totally dissatisfied with the disrespect the ONR had shown to the suffering residents and is demanding an early response to the council's letter.
He noted that millions of dollars worth of cash and relief supplies have been donated to the island for hurricane victims and that it was most shameful that some of the worst affected communities have been totally bypassed.
Councillor for the Borobridge division, the PNP's Winston Brown, said he fully supported Mr. Stewart because the people in his division were having a very hard time in trying to put their lives together following the hurricane.
STILL SUFFERING
Councillor Brown stated, "I can't believe that seven months after the flooding the people in my division are still suffering and have not received any assistance."
He pointed out that some of the communities that are in urgent need of assistance include Norwood, Thatch Walk, Wild Cane and Cave Valley.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for South West St. Ann, Ernest Smith, has come out in support of the council and is demanding urgent assistance from the ONR.
Mr. Smith said that he himself has been trying to get the ONR to provide assistance to the hundreds of residents in the constituency whose homes and properties were badly affected by the hurricane, but without any success.
Mr. Smith said it is full time the ONR give some serious attention to the sufferings of the residents of Southwest St. Ann.
