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Jamaica: COVID-19 downs Labour Ministry's food supplies but...

KINGSTON, Jamaica— Relief efforts relating to the COVID-19 pandemic have taken a toll on the Ministry of Labour and Social Security's food supplies according to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security Collette Roberts- Risde, who says efforts are now being made to revive the stock ahead of the official June 1 start of the Atlantic Hurricane Season.

“We do have supplies within the Ministry's warehouse of personal protective equipment (PPEs) for COVID-19 and we are in the process of securing additional supplies for PPEs as it relates to hurricanes, such as raincoats, water boots and so on. We do have supplies on hand but I would be the first to admit that our supplies need to be beefed up,” Roberts-Risden said while speaking at yesterday's meeting of the National Disaster Risk Management Council at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Andrew.

“Our supplies have been depleted due to COVID-19, at this time in the year is usually when we are procuring and prepositioning supplies especially as it relates to food; however, due to COVID-19 our supplies have been depleted.

"However, we have established various arrangements with a number of our suppliers to take supplies on demand.

“Notwithstanding that, our lines of credit are in place in all of our parishes for initial emergency response,” she said.

Roberts-Risden said the ministry, which is the lead body for welfare support during disasters, has in the meantime identified additional sites across the island as distribution points for help packages and has entered into two framework agreements for the supply of food and bedding.

“We look forward to receiving additional support certainly from the Ministry of Finance to beef up our warehouse,” she said.

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