Government
Hurricane Fiona Relief Policy Stuck
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, April 6, 2023 – The Government has made amendments to the Hurricane Fiona Relief Policy and provided an update for those still waiting for word on the grants to help with residential damage sustained during the September 2022 hurricane.
In a Cabinet meeting on March 22, the Government said it would ‘increase the qualifying threshold of household income, independent valuations, and capped benefits to $25,000 per property regardless of the value of the
This would make available at most $25,000 of assistance across the board to those who need it, leaving the Government enough room to possibly help up to 80 families. There was no indication of when the money would make it to residents or if disbursement had already begun.
As of early December, the money had still been tied up in the Government, unable to get to needy homeowners. At the time, Premier Washington Misick had said they were still trying to develop a framework to get the money to residents.
Though TCI escaped without substantial damage in the peak season hurricane; there were several homes with holes in roofs and other forms of structural damage. The Government had budgeted $2 million dollars in a supplementary to provide homeowner assistance but could not say for sure that those qualifying would get that cash before the 2022 fiscal year ended.
It has been over six months since the hurricane hit the TCI and two months to the start of the new Atlantic Hurricane Season.