KINGSTON, December 9 (JIS):

The Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) is urging vendors operating in downtown Kingston to fully comply with established vending regulations, as commercial activity is expected to heighten during the Christmas season.

Addressing the KSAMC’s monthly meeting on Tuesday (December 9), Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Andrew Swaby, said the Corporation has issued an “early and clear warning”, in light of the rising trend in street vending, particularly in non-designated areas.

“As we approach the Christmas season, and we anticipate an increase in commercial activity across downtown, the KSAMC is issuing an early and clear warning regarding the rise in street vending, particularly vending in non-designated areas,” he noted.

The Mayor said the annual surge in unregulated vending continues to create significant operational challenges. “Each year, this practice presents serious challenges… including security risks, traffic conditions, and overall discomfort,” he added.

“These conditions not only disrupt the orderly flow of pedestrians and vehicles, but also discourage customers from coming downtown to shop, ultimately hurting both vendors and the broader business community,” he continued.

Councillor Swaby underscored that the matter is long-standing, noting that “street vending in downtown is not a new issue”.

“For decades, public spaces, especially sidewalks, have become increasingly congested with unregulated vending,” he said, adding that the situation has now reached a point where it has become “a significant public order problem”.

He pointed out that during high-traffic periods, including Christmas and the back-to-school season, “the challenges intensify and place additional strain on the Corporation’s ability to maintain safety, accessibility, and proper use of public spaces”.

Meanwhile, he reinforced the Corporation’s call for compliance as the festive period approaches, stressing that the KSAMC is seeking full cooperation from vendors to maintain order in the commercial district.

“As we prepare for the holiday season, the KSAMC is appealing to vendors and urging full cooperation. We must all work together to preserve lawfulness, protect the public, and ensure downtown remains a safe, functional, and attractive commercial district,” he emphasised.

The Mayor warned that stricter enforcement is forthcoming, stating that “accordingly, vendors and members of the business community are being placed on notice that in the coming year, the KSAMC will take firm and decisive steps to restore law and order across the business district”.

“This includes reclaiming critical corridors within the business district and enforcing compliance within the established vending regulations,” Councillor Swaby noted.

He emphasised that the Corporation’s intention is not punitive. “Our goal is not to disrupt livability but to ensure a clean, orderly, and prosperous downtown for everyone… . The KSAMC stands ready to work with all stakeholders as we move towards a more organised, safe, and business-friendly city in 2025 and beyond,” the Mayor said.

JIS:

Four prefabricated containers are scheduled to arrive in Falmouth next week to establish a temporary facility for the Trelawny Infirmary, which sustained severe damage during the passage of Hurricane Melissa in October.

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, said the installation will be completed in short order, allowing residents and staff to relocate by the end of December.

He led a team from the Ministry and the Trelawny Municipal Corporation on a site visit to the new location on Saturday (November 29).

“The facility will not be the same as what existed before. It will be a little bit more modern and unusual, because it will be the first time that a facility like the infirmary will be using this mode to host the residents,” Mr. McKenzie pointed out.

He said the temporary infirmary will feature rooms for both male and female residents, along with bathrooms, toilets, a dining area, and a small recreational space.

The Minister advised that technical teams from Kingston and St. Andrew, Manchester, and St. Mary have been supporting the Trelawny Municipal Corporation in designing the facility’s layout.

Currently, approximately 60 residents and 40 staff members of the Trelawny Infirmary remain displaced following the hurricane.

“It is important that we get back, as quickly as possible, the operations of the infirmary. I know that Hague Primary School, which currently houses the residents, has been under pressure. I’m hoping by the end of December, the residents will have this new facility that they will call their home for the time being,” Mr. McKenzie said.

He added that the site selected will eventually host the new permanent infirmary, given its ideal environmental conditions.

For his part, Mayor of Falmouth, Councillor Collen Gager, stated that the initiative represented a significant step toward restoring normalcy in the parish.

He reaffirmed the Corporation’s commitment to doing everything necessary to get the infirmary back on its feet.

“We thank you Minister. We want to say that the infirmary is on its way again, where we can find a home for all of the residents there,” Councillor Gager stated.

Secretary of the Board of Supervision within the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, Treka Lewis, noted that while the new location may differ from what the residents are accustomed to, the facility will provide safety, security, and improved care.

“The Board of Supervision will [also] ensure that we continue to monitor the facilities to ensure that the standards are maintained, as we’re used to,” she said.

Employees at the island’s infirmaries are being praised for their efforts in safeguarding residents during the passage of Hurricane Melissa on October 28, which ensured that no injuries or deaths occurred at these facilities, including those most adversely impacted.

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says their decisive actions are a testament to staff proactiveness and the meticulous planning and dialogue between local municipalities and agency partners.

Notable among these is the St. Elizabeth Infirmary, where frontline workers were lauded by the Minister for moving vulnerable residents out of harm’s way as floodwaters rose and a roof was torn away.

During a visit to the facility on November 27, where Ministry officials and other relevant agencies participated in cleanup activities, Mr. McKenzie recounted that several employees had lost their homes and were being accommodated within the facility.

He shared that he was “reduced to tears on my first visit after Hurricane Melissa had passed, realising what could have happened if not for the decisive actions of the infirmary team.”

“This was an act of heroism. No praise is too high for these staff members who went the extra mile to safeguard Jamaica’s most vulnerable,” the Minister stated.

Mr. McKenzie pointed out that Hurricane Melissa’s impact extended beyond St. Elizabeth, noting that infirmaries in Trelawny, Westmoreland, Hanover, St. Ann and St. James also sustained damage, with facilities submerged and roofs torn away in several locations.

He credited the rapid relocation of residents at the Trelawny Infirmary as a turning point that likely averted a monumental disaster for the coastal town, which was grappling with extensive flooding and structural challenges.

The Minister pointed to the wisdom of preparedness and early action, noting that evacuations and protective measures began days before Hurricane Melissa’s landfall, illustrating effective pre‑storm planning and inter‑agency coordination.

Mr. McKenzie said the post-hurricane national response would be coordinated and broad-based, a point reinforced by officials from the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and the Social Development Commission (SDC), who joined him to spearhead recovery and infrastructure‑strengthening efforts

“This coalition signals a coordinated national effort to clean-up, rebuild, and strengthen infirmary infrastructure against future storms,” the Minister added.

Meanwhile, Mr. McKenzie said that Jamaica will expand technical capacity to assess infirmary infrastructure and implement improvements, underscoring a national push toward safer, modern facilities.

He noted that the disaster underscored the need for stronger building codes, enhanced disaster planning, and the proactive relocation of at‑risk structures nationwide.

Minister McKenzie also emphasised Jamaica’s capacity for rapid and compassionate action in the face of natural disasters, urging continued investment in modernisation, preparedness and community collaboration to safeguard vulnerable populations.

“As Jamaica rebuilds, we must translate these hard-won lessons into stronger, safer infirmaries and a more resilient national framework for future storms,” he said.

He added that the Government plans to maintain inter‑agency coordination and strengthen community partnerships to ensure swift responses in any future emergencies.

KINGSTON, November 21 (JIS):

The Social Development Commission (SDC) has launched a Temporary Accommodations Needs Assessment Survey across the six parishes severely affected by the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

The survey, commissioned by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development has three primary objectives – to provide an evidence-based report on the number of displaced families and individuals, to determine how many of these households would be willing to utilise transitionary or temporary government-established accommodation, and to identify suitable locations within communities where such facilities could be established.

Executive Director of the SDC, Omar Frith, told JIS News that the survey will give the Government a clear understanding of the true extent of displacement across affected parishes, which will help in crafting a strategic response.

He noted that while the assessment examines the feasibility of transitional housing solutions, a crucial part of the process is engaging residents directly to understand their own preferences.

“The preliminary data is already showing that although many persons have been displaced, a significant number are indicating that their primary interest is support with materials, tools and equipment to rebuild and restore their homes, so they can move on with their lives,” Mr. Frith informed.

Pilot assessments were conducted in Westmoreland on November 11 and in Trelawny on November 13.

Data collection has commenced in the parishes of St. Elizabeth, St. James, Hanover and Manchester and is expected to conclude within the next two weeks.

The SDC, an entity under the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, is the principal community organisation working within Jamaica’s 775 communities.

#PostHurricaneMelissa

On Wednesday afternoon (Nov 12), State Minister in the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Delroy Williams and Hon. Zavia Mayne, State Minister in the Ministry of Finance and Public Service, along with a team from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security visited areas in Westmoreland that were hard hit by Hurricane Melissa. The team distributed care packages and other relief supplies, which included tarpaulins, hygiene and comfort items such as blankets and mattresses along with food items to last several days, this forms part of the government’s collective effort to alleviate the devastating effects of the Hurricane.

Some residents, bound by camaraderie, expressed appreciation for the supplies and highlighted that members of the community were able to repair many of the houses that were damaged during the ordeal.

“A lot of us come together as a community…We did that and made it happen…and it was good” one resident said.

“We are assisting community members in various ways, some in terms of care packages, for some we are looking at other needs, like roofing needs, we have distributed tarpaulins, we have found in a lot of cases, people wanted tarpaulins,” Minister Williams said

“You would expect that after an experience like this that people would be down and so forth, I don’t see that. Some of the damage done, you would not have captured it, a lot of the residents came together in the community spirit, in the Jamaican spirit, helped each other and started the rebuilding and the repairs where necessary. It was good for us to come here, and we will keep coming back” he continued as he commended the solidarity among residents.

The Government of Jamaica has taken an ‘all hands-on deck’ approach with several committees and initiatives in place to fast-track relief response following Hurricane Melissa. This, as they work towards bringing some sense of normalcy to western Jamaica while they determine more robust, long-term plans for the country.

Minister Mayne added, “We did not want anybody to be left behind, so apart from the care packages that we brought, the kind of devastation that we saw, necessitated a more detailed response, and the agencies of government that were here, were so equipped.”

During the visit, officers from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security collected information for residents who were adversely affected by the Hurricane, in a bid to determine who could benefit from the other programmes such as the Social Pension Programme and the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH).

MONTEGO BAY, Nov. 16 (JIS):

Emergency repairs, including roof replacement, are to be undertaken at the St. Elizabeth Infirmary following severe damage to the facility from Hurricane Melissa.

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, who toured the infirmary on Saturday (Nov. 15), said he has given directives to fast-track the work to restore normality for the residents and staff.

“The roof of the female ward was totally destroyed. We’re going to be putting back that roof, and we’re going to be using the emergency powers that exist to ensure that it is done,” he said.

He noted that with the loss of the roof, both male and female residents are occupying the single male ward, with 60 people, including 10 staff members, being housed in a space designed for about 30.

In addition to the roof replacement, Minister McKenzie said that the perimeter walls, which were compromised during the hurricane, will be rebuilt to keep out floodwaters during future storms, as well as prevent unauthorised access to the grounds.

He commended the staff for their efforts in moving residents to safety under extremely trying conditions, noting that the generator at the facility was critical in ensuring continuity of services during and in the aftermath of the hurricane.

In the meantime, Mr. McKenzie said that assessments are underway at the Trelawny Infirmary and other affected institutions islandwide.

He said he expects to have a complete breakdown of restoration costs for all affected infirmaries within two weeks.

“So, we are going to be responding as a Government. It is going to take some time to deal with all the issues, but we have identified what we deem to be the priority areas and we are going to be responding immediately,” he said.

For her part, Matron at the St. Elizabeth Infirmary, Bianca Mitchell Smith, expressed gratitude to the Minister, the St. Elizabeth Municipal Corporation, donors and staff for their support during and after the hurricane.

She described the experience as traumatising for both workers and residents, recalling how the team waded through muddy floodwaters to move, clean, and comfort the indigent residents in their care during the storm.

“I just want to say thank you to everyone who has donated, has supported us, has given a lending hand…I do appreciate it all,” Mrs. Mitchell Smith said.

Mayor of Black River and Chairman of the St. Elizabeth Municipal Corporation, Councillor Richard Solomon, commended the matron and her team for safeguarding the infirmary’s vulnerable population.

He assured Minister McKenzie that the directives for repairs would be followed through as quickly as possible, noting that some work had already begun.

The Ministry will be enlisting 300 of the Youth Summer Employment Programme (YSEP) participants, to assist in the data gathering process to determine the necessity of the shelters that have remained open since the passage of Hurricane Melissa. Hon. Desmond McKenzie, Minister of Local Government and Community Development made the announcement during a Special Press Briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister on Tuesday morning (Nov. 11, 2025).

“Next week, we will be putting some 300 workers of the Youth Summer Employment Programme to go into the affected areas to do an actual count of the numbers of persons in the shelters and once that is done, we will take a determination how many shelters we will be closing down or  how many shelters must remain in operation,” Minister McKenzie said.

“The purpose of the exercise with the YSEP workers… is to collect the data to give ourselves a better opportunity to do to the assessment that is needed. The ODPEM the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the local authorities have a vested interest in ensuring that the number of persons that we are providing for are the genuine people that really need the relief supplies,” he continued.

The Minister revealed that once the assessment concludes, the government will move into collective phase where a decision will be made to help alleviate the discomfort experienced by residents whose homes were destroyed in the hurricane.

This process is expected to work in tandem with the government’s Temporary Housing Programme, which is geared towards housing citizens who have been displaced by the disaster as recovery efforts continue.

YSEP was launched in 2017 and has employed more than 50,000 Jamaican youth during the summer period over the span of nine years. Some of these participants have secured permanent employment within the local government system. The three hundred workers who will participate in this data collection project will be selected from a cohort of trained past participants from several parishes.

MONTEGO BAY, November 10 (JIS):

WPM Waste Management Limited has intensified clean-up operations across St. James, following the passage of Hurricane Melissa on October 28, with night shifts now being activated to clear mini dumps and restore cleanliness across Montego Bay.

Speaking with JIS News after a meeting of the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), held at the St. James Municipal Corporation on November 6, Regional Operations Manager, Dramaine Jones, said teams have been working tirelessly to clear debris and restore regular collection services.

“Since the hurricane passed, we’ve been doing assessments, but while doing that we have continued maintenance of the main roads as well as the town centres. We still have some amount of buildup within Montego Bay, so we are activating our night shift to ensure the space is cleaned starting tonight,” Mr. Jones said.

He noted that regular garbage collection continues to take place during the mornings to reduce congestion in the city.

“We are ensuring that we dispatch as early as possible, so that units can get the waste before traffic starts to build up,” he explained.

Clean-up teams are also targeting major dump sites in areas such as Salt Spring, Catherine Hall, and near the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH), with heavy equipment, including backhoes, being deployed to remove waste.

“This will continue until the area is clean,” the Regional Operations Manager said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Jones further noted that WPM continues to strengthen its partnerships with key stakeholders, including the Jamaica Fire Brigade, the St. James Health Department, and the municipal corporation, to coordinate efforts and maintain sanitary conditions across the parish.

In a move to assist residents affected by the storm, WPM has waived landfill fees for the disposal of storm-related waste.

“Those persons affected who have storm waste can proceed to the landfill to dispose of it properly. We’ve set up an area for this and will be seeking additional equipment to ensure proper management,” Mr. Jones said.

He added that the company is assessing its fleet to boost capacity and ensure efficiency in waste collection and disposal.

“We are doing all that is necessary to ensure that we can give you a clean St. James, a clean Montego Bay,” he assured.