Peart

With today being the start of what forecasters say will be a very active hurricane season, Minister of Local Government and Environment Dean Peart says the disaster fund is not enough to deal with aftershocks of hurricanes and other natural disasters.

The fund currently stands at roughly $100 million after another $50 million was allocated to it this fiscal year by Government, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has revealed.

"Whether we have the disaster fund or no disaster fund, it is not a problem, so that is not important. If and when a hurricane lick (strikes), funds are provided by the Ministry of Finance," he said. "If a disaster should lick, $50 million is monkey money," he added.

He continued: "Say you have a category three hurricane lick we hard. First of all you have to look at food across the island, you have to look at bedding, you have to look 'bout transportation, get Ministry of Works fi go clear road, etc. You gone over $100 million right there. So don't put too much emphasis on the disaster fund because that is chicken feed."

Little impact last year

Hurricanes Dennis and Emily ravaged the country in 2005, leaving $5.98 billion in damage. In 2004, the damage from category four Hurricane Ivan, totalled $36.9 billion. Last year, there was little impact from hurricanes an active season had been predicted.

While agreeing that the fund was indeed a small amount to deal with catastrophes associated with natural disasters, ODPEM's Director-General Ronald Jackson said the agency has been agitating for more money to be allocated to the fund. He said the agency has proposed in the past that funds be directed from the National Insurance Scheme to the disaster fund. There also have been other proposals to transfer funds from the National Housing Trust to the fund.