And while it may not seem like much when compared to the $50 million needed to rebuild Corozal, today the Social Security Board made a contribution to the Hurricane Dean relief efforts. It’s for $125,000 and it was split between the National Emergency Management Organization and the Red Cross. The checks were signed over this morning at the Social Security Board’s office in Belize City. 7NEWS was there.
The checks to the Red Cross and NEMO were presented by Deputy Chairman of the Social Security Board Elena Smith. The Red Cross received a check for $35,000. Director General Lily Bowman says 1,800 families need help and the money will be used immediately to buy food for 400 of them.
Lily Bowman, Red Cross
“The money will be used to purchase food packages, to feed at least four hundred or more families. The food packages are prepared for families of five and they last for two weeks.”
The National Emergency Management Organization’s check was for $90,000. NEMO Minister Godfrey Smith accepted it and he says it’ll buy construction supplies for those who want to rebuild their homes. He concedes however that while he is grateful, this $90,000 is but a drop in the bucket of the millions they need.
Hon. Godfrey Smith, Minister of NEMO
“The damage to housing, partial destruction and total destruction alone approximates to $20 million. So the SSB has said to us that they want us to use that $90,000 for specifically building materials. That will be communicated directly to the coordinator for NEMO and I imagine that they will use it to get people zincs, ply boards, and whatever they need to repair. Obviously $90,000 is a drop in the bucket compared to the total extent of $20 million. We are very grateful and it will be used specifically for the purpose that I have asked.”
Deputy SSB chair Elena Smith says the money came from the board’s hurricane relief fund.
Elena Smith, Deputy Chairman – SSB
“We have had in place for some time now a disaster fund specifically put together for this purpose, for hurricane and people who need help and so we felt, after seeing what happened in Corozal, we felt that we had to assist those persons who are affected and so that is why today we decided to make this presentation to the relief fund organizations.”
And there is more help on the way for hurricane victims in Corozal. The Benny’s group of companies announced that it is donating $67,000 in construction supplies to relief efforts. The donation consists of plywood, plycem, screws and Fasteners. Benny’s began delivering the supplies today.
