Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Central, Dwayne Vaz, is calling on the Government to urgently address the ongoing housing crisis affecting families displaced by Hurricane Melissa, stating that residents that were housed at the Petersfield Shelter remain without the permanent accommodation they were promised months ago.

Vaz’s comments come in response to recent statements made by Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, regarding the relocation of displaced residents from the Petersfield High School shelter.

“I am not engaging in any quarrel with Minister McKenzie. My concern is with the people who were promised homes and are still waiting,” Vaz said.

The Member of Parliament argued that the Government’s publicly announced May 8 deadline was presented not simply as a date for residents to leave the shelter, but as part of a broader commitment to transition displaced families into suitable and permanent housing.

According to Vaz, residents were informed that 50 houses would be constructed for affected families, with 20 units expected in the first phase of the development. However, he noted that as of May 9, only six bases had reportedly been laid at the proposed site, with no completed housing structures and no supporting infrastructure, including water, sewage, or electricity.

“These are not political claims. These are conditions that currently exist on the ground and can be verified by anyone who visits the location,” Vaz stated.

Vaz also raised concerns regarding the condition of the temporary accommodation to which residents were relocated, describing the move as poorly coordinated and inadequate for families already displaced by the disaster.

According to the MP, residents arrived to find unsanitary and rat-infested conditions and were forced to clean the facility themselves before occupying the space.

“Families who have already endured the trauma of losing their homes should not have been placed in those circumstances. It is unacceptable,” he said.

Responding to attempts to shift blame toward the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation, Vaz noted that municipal corporations fall under the Ministry of Local Government and stressed that the matter should not be reduced to partisan politics.

“This should not become a PNP versus JLP issue. The focus must remain on the commitments made to the people and whether those commitments are being fulfilled,” Vaz added.

The MP also clarified that the ROOFS Programme is administered through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and not through constituency offices.

“I do not approve recipients, disburse funds, or administer the programme. Those responsibilities fall under the Ministry of Labour and Social Security,” he stated.

Vaz reaffirmed his commitment to advocating for the displaced families until the promised housing development is completed.

“My responsibility is to the people of my constituency who are still affected by this crisis, and I will continue to stand with them until every promise made to them is delivered,” he said.