It would take an average Grenadian about three years to raise enough money needed to repair the roof of his home.

That?s according to Stanley Francis, a Grenadian living in Bermuda, who is appealing to the public and local charities to continue helping Grenada.

Grenada, with a population of 90,000, suffered heavy infrastructure damage to schools, health clinics and houses when Hurricane Ivan hit the island in September.

According to non-governmental organisations in the area, about 60,000 residents were in need of some assistance, while 5,000 were left homeless.

Mr. Francis said that four months after the devastating hurricane, many residents were still living under tarpaulins and it would cost about $12,000 to repair a roof on a medium-sized house. ?Many residents are simply replacing their roofs with corrugated iron, which is really not good because they?ll simply blow away in the next hurricane,? he said. He said schools had still not opened since the hurricane as many were either completely destroyed or were missing roofs.

?What some of the schools are doing is teaching the children in makeshift tented schools, but it?s been raining almost non-stop for weeks and makes it very difficult for children to move around safely,? he said.

He said the price of goods, including building supplies had almost doubled since the hurricane and while donations were being sent to the Grenadian government, it would take months to reach those in dire need.

Divisional commander of the Salvation Army in Bermuda, Major Lindsay Rowe, said yesterday that the charity was once again appealing for funds for Grenada because there was still so much to do on the island.

But, he said it was hard when so much of the attention had shifted to South Asia.

?We could be doing so much more in Grenada if we had the money,? he said.

He said the Salvation Army never gave money to governments, but had staff in Grenada who were buying building supplies with donations and distributing them to residents who could either do their own building, or were using Mennonites to build the homes for them.

?We?re focused mostly on St. Andrews? Parish in Grenada because it?s a rather secluded area of the island and the needs of those living there are so great, but we are also looking at the rest of the Island,? he said.

Major Rowe could not say how long it would take for the Island to fully recover from the devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan, but hoped that housing conditions on the island would be back to normal before the end of the year. ?Sooner, if we get the money,? he said. Anyone who can help with donations can call or visit The Salvation Army offices at 10, North Street, Hamilton.