PORT ANTONIO (JIS), Friday, July 15, 2005 - As efforts continue to help hurricane affected persons in Portland, supplies are being distributed to victims in the Rio Grande Valley area of the parish.
Supplies being distributed include foodstuff, beds, sheets, towels and blankets, and is being carried out by the welfare sub-committee of the Portland Disaster Committee.
The Rio Grande Valley community was among the areas worst hit by Hurricane Dennis on July 7, with a number of residents suffering loss or damage to homes and other personal belongings.
Gloria Clarke, Manager of the Portland Office of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security told JIS News that the relief distribution began on Saturday, July 9 in the Berrydale and Grants Level communities and has been continuing in the Mill Bank and Comfort Castle districts.
She pointed out that seven beds, sheets, towels and other personal items were issued to victims in the Berrydale and Grants Level communities on Wednesday, July 13, and that approximately 30 beds would be distributed in the Mill Bank and Comfort Castle areas.
Miss Clarke emphasised that supplies distributed were carefully monitored to ensure that only needy persons received them, and that the organizations involved in the distribution included the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), the Portland Chapter of the Jamaica Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
She noted that the distribution would continue as long as there was genuine need for assistance, adding that priority would be given to those persons who were most affected by the hurricane.
Commending members of the distribution team for the work they were doing to assist hurricane victims in the parish, Miss Clarke noted that they were operating under difficult circumstances due to the effects of the hurricane.