MONTEGO BAY, St. James (August 21, 2017): Councillors from the parish of St. James will be expending a total of $6.8 million under the Municipal Social Assistance Programme/Fund, to assist constituents within their divisions with back to school purchases.
According to Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Homer Davis, each Councillor has been allocated a total of $400 thousand to offset the difficulties that some families may encounter with back to school preparations.
“This recent allocation to each Councillor - $300 thousand from the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development (MLGCD) and $1oo thousand from the St. James Municipal Corporation – has empowered us a great deal, and the amount is far in excess of what was previously disbursed in times past,” said Mayor Davis.
Mayor Davis believes that over 2000 youth could benefit from direct financial assistance and suggested that the funding ‘affords Councillors an opportunity to assist their division in a meaningful way’.
The Municipal Social Assistance Programme/Fund, launched in June 2017, is an initiative of the MLGCD and has four components inclusive of Office/Administrative Support to Divisions, Social Housing Assistance, Indigent Housing Assistance, and a Funeral and Education Grant.
The funds that were recently allocated will be disbursed under the Education Grant component of the programme, which is structured to help with school supplies and uniforms, exam fees and registration, and school auxiliary and registration fees.