Opposition Senator Israel Bruce has criticized the way in which the Government has utilized available resources in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl’s impact on St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Senator Bruce during an appearance on WE FM’s Activated Mornings program, suggested that a better option in the circumstance would be to just provide those affected by the category 4 hurricane with the building material needed and have them ascertain labour for the rehabilitation work on their own.
He said that if the relief efforts were managed by an NDP led Government there would be a greater flexibility allowed in the rehabilitation exercise.
“If you ask me, and I believe a number of my colleagues share this particular view, that if the government was to use resources that were provided to the government, whether through grants or soft loans, and provide, let’s say, the materials, for example, to a lot of people in the Grenadines, they would find the labor and ensure, of course, all you have to do is just to demand that construction is done to a particular standard, because we can’t find ourselves repeating the same set of things that has affected us now. So that when we talk about constructing new homes, for example, in the Grenadines, or for that matter, anywhere in St. Vincent, we have to build to a particular standard. One of the things that we will do differently though, is to give greater flexibility to the rehabilitation exercise, so that the people of the Southern Grenadines are more integrally involved in deciding and ensuring that the exercise is sped up. That’s one thing for sure I will do differently.”
During his appearance on the program Senator Bruce also highlighted the plight of those in the agricultural sector in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, as it pertains to the issue of praedial larceny, highlighting what an NDP Government would do combat this issue.
