More than a dozen families in the Maraval area were recipients of almost a quarter of a million dollars in Home Improvement Grants from the National Self Help Commission on Wednesday.
Mary Joseph of Paramin was one of the fourteen Diego Martin residents to receive a Grant to assist with some much-needed home repairs.
Ms. Joseph said she first applied for the Grant five years ago.
“I am so glad today to receive that Grant to do a retaining wall for my house because it has been cracked, maybe through the earthquakes and whatnot.”
Former Member of Parliament for Diego Martin North East and Minister of Public Utilities, Colm Imbert, said he hoped more funding would be put into the National Self Help Programme, as it assists many needy people.
“Mostly elderly people. Flooring, roof, that sort of thing. Some of them don’t even know how to apply for a Self Help Grant. Some of them become frustrated with the procedure because the procedure requires somebody to visit and inspect and determine whether the applicant is deserving of the Grant and then report to the Commission, and then a decision has to be made by the Commission, and then they have to get the money.”
One resident from Patna Village on the North Coast Road, Phillip Taylor Lovell, indicated he would be able to repair his roof.
“About six years and I keep going and, you know, not getting through with anything so I just kinda give up. And then late November somebody from Self Help called, ‘Are you Mr. Phillip?’ I say ‘yeah,’ and that was it. Then I saw one of the site persons who came to visit, I saw him coming down the steps and he was the first man who at the initial stage who came to visit the place.”
The ceremony at the North Diego Martin Community Centre saw a total of $240,000 in Home Repair Grants being distributed.