OVER $400,000 in grants were distributed by Finance Minister and Diego Martin North/East MP Colm Imbert on Tuesday to needy people in his constituency.

The grants were given under the auspices of the National Commission for Self Help and Imbert was at the Bagatelle Community Centre to give the grants to 21 needy people.

These people would have been approved by the commission to receive the grants for minor repairs and reconstruction, worth up to $15,000; as well as emergency relief/reconstruction grants valued at $25,000.

Imbert emphasised how much the recipients needed this assistance given their individual issues.

"Successful applicants will be provided with invoices to go to a nearby hardware to procure materials such as cement, steel, galvanize, sheeting, lumber and so on. And in most cases, this help is desperately needed by the persons who receive the help.

"That is why I wanted to be here, because I know all of these people, I know they're all qualified, I know they all need a lot of help," Imbert said.

Commission chairman Adrian Winter encouraged the beneficiaries to use the grants to improve their standard of living and comfort by carrying out the necessary repair to their homes.

Commission CEO Gary Romain assured the recipients that the commission would provide the labour needed by the recipients to effect repairs to their homes.

"The delivery of these purchase orders gives you a hand of assistance covering the cost of materials to assist with your structural home repair needs, while we provide the labour to complete your repairs," Romain said.

About 46 families in the Diego Martin North/East constituency received similar assistance from the commission on May 16 and June 3.