LOCAL GOVERNMENT MINISTER ANNOUNCES J$600 MILLION PROGRAMME TO RELOCATE AND REBUILD INFIRMARIES DAMAGED BY HURRICANE MELISSA
Minister of Local Government and Community Development Hon. Desmond McKenzie has announced a raft of measures to restore and expand municipal infrastructure dedicated to caring for Jamaica’s vulnerable population.
In his contribution to the 2026/27 Sectoral Debate on June 3, the Minister reported that Infirmaries in Trelawny, Westmoreland, St. Ann, and St. Elizabeth, were severely damaged by Hurricane Melissa.
“The Ministry has been working diligently to rebuild and, in some cases, relocate these facilities. $150 million has been allocated for the relocation and reconstruction of the Trelawny Infirmary. $400 million is being provided for the relocation and reconstruction of the St. Ann Infirmary. The estimate for restoring the St. Elizabeth, Hanover and Westmoreland Infirmaries is $56.4 million, and works have been done to this point to the tune of $28.1 million. This year, a new wing will be built at the Spanish Town Infirmary at a cost of J$70 million.”
In reporting on the implementation of the concrete Indigent Housing programme, Minister McKenzie noted that construction activity had been affected by Hurricane Melissa. However, he disclosed that this year, $160 million will be provided to build more Indigent Houses.
On the long-standing issue of social cases at the island’s hospitals, the Minister announced a special effort will be made to address it this year in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, through the expenditure of J$200 million to increase the capacity of municipal care facilities, in order to release hospital bed spaces for people with exclusive medical needs.
With regard to Homelessness, the Minister reported that the Board of Supervision, in partnership with the Social Development Commission, completed the National Survey on Homelessness in the last quarter of 2025. The preliminary findings are that 2-thousand, 261 people were found to be homeless, with 52.5% of this number located within Kingston and St. Andrew.
He noted that over the last decade, an expanding network of Drop-In Shelters, Night Shelters and Transitional Shelters has been, and is still being built, to give these vulnerable Jamaicans secure spaces where their shelter, nutrition and medical needs are addressed.
“Phase Two of the Desmond McKenzie Transitional Centre for the Homeless was completed in the last financial year, allowing for a total capacity of 80 homeless people to be accommodated. The extension to the St. Thomas Night Shelter was completed at a cost of $12 million, and the Portland Drop-in Centre and Night Shelter was also completed at a cost of $55 Million. This year, the Marie Atkins Night Shelter will be renovated at a cost of $35 million”