It was total jubilation at Mill Bank in Portland yesterday as dozens of children who lost their parents and guardians in a horrific truck accident in December received back-to-school items donated by the private sector in collaboration with member of parliament for West Portland, Daryl Vaz.

The items included books, bags, uniforms, school shoes and sneakers. Approximately 41 children, whose ages range from four years old to 18 years old, benefited from the donation.

The children, also benefiting from a commitment given by the Government by way of a special trust fund set up to assist them, received $5,000 each to assist with travelling and nutrition for the month.

Vaz had in July assured the affected families that the children would be attending school whether or not the committee set up to supervise the disbursement of monies from the special trust fund was able to release the funds in adequate time. Yesterday, he lauded the timely response of the private sector.

Our future

"Children are our future," he said. "There is no way I would allow these children to suffer the inconvenience of not being able to attend school.

"Today, I also signed over a cheque for $187,000 to assist with the purchase of the back-to-school items. I want to specially thank the private sector for its involvement and to say to the people of Rio Grande Valley that we will be honouring all our commitments and obligations to these children."

The special trust fund was set up by the Office of the Prime Minister and in July, a special committee headed by the Portland Parish Council to oversee the disbursement of the funds to the children was set up by Vaz.

So far the trust fund has collected approximately $5.5 million and each child is to receive $5,000 each month to assist with health care, lunch, nutrition, travelling and basic school items.

Each child lost at least one parent in the horrific accident last year when 14 people, including a 10-year-old boy, lost their lives after a market truck transporting vendors to Coronation Market in Kingston plunged over a precipice at Dam Bridge in the Rio Grande Valley.

The driver of the ill-fated truck, Christopher Devon Clarke, is now before the court on five charges, including 14 counts of manslaughter.