St Ann Infirmary Gets a Helping Hand

Posted on March 10, 2026March 10, 2026

Minister McKenzie leads clean up activities at the facility

Less than a month after Hon. Desmond McKenzie committed to leading a clean-up exercise at the St Ann Infirmary, the Minister and a team compromising staff of the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), the Social Development Commission (SDC) and volunteers returned Saturday February 28 to carry out well-needed debris removal from the property.

“We are out of recovery…we are just doing some important clean up that needs to be done. The National Solid Waste Management Authority is here in full flight. We have crane trucks, we have saw heads, we have whackers, we have frontend loaders, we have power saws, and we have a full complement from the National Solid Waste Management Authority who have been our partner right across the island since we started this exercise” Minister McKenzie said.

He used the opportunity to speak on the importance of the data collection exercise undertaken by the SDC, in the post-Melissa reconstruction phase, at the local level.

“The Social Development Commission which is also a critical player in the Ministry is present this morning, not only to lend support, but for the role that they have been playing in helping us to compile data, information, that is allowing the government, in the [rebuilding] of Jamaica…to be able to make decisions based on data which is available” he explained.

Minister with responsibility for Water, Environment, Climate Change, and the Blue & Green Economies and member of parliament for Northeast St Ann, Hon. Matthew Samuda, who was also present, expressed his gratitude to Minister McKenzie for his continued intervention in St Ann’s development.

“The measure of a society is how it treats it most vulnerable, so when Minister McKenzie has assessed that this is such a priority it tells you the spirit of the Ministry that he’s leading and I want to, on behalf of North East St Ann, and in deed the whole parish, because this facility serves more than just north east St Ann to extend sincere gratitude Minister for the support,” he said.

Minister Samuda also lauded the improvement of service delivery by local government facilities in the parish, highlighting the investments in the infirmary, markets, drains and cemeteries.

The day’s activities brought well-needed landscaping to the property, a storeroom that was severely damaged during the hurricane was also demolished, the Minister has committed to having it replaced with a prefabricated container.

Despite the extensive work carried out on the property, the Minister reaffirmed his commitment to relocating the St Ann Infirmary in the future, citing the proximity of the facility to the sea.

“We don’t want to do too much, because, this infirmary, once  we have concluded all the arrangements, the proper location of the lands, the drawing and the designs, once we have gone through that process, this facility will be relocated on lands which are safe and which is close to the hospital so that proper care can be given to the residents in the infirmary,” he explained.

In the past, residents of the infirmary had to be evacuated from the property whenever the country is threatened by a natural disaster such as a Hurricane. To mitigate this, plans are in the pipeline to build a new infirmary close to a hospital in the parish and away from the coastline.

TRELAWNY INFIRMARY – CLOSE TO COMPLETION

Posted on March 5, 2026March 9, 2026

Construction of a temporary facility to house the Trelawny Infirmary is progressing steadily, less than six months after the original building was destroyed by Hurricane Melissa last October.

The previous structure, which had overlooked the sea for several decades, was left in ruins following the passage of the hurricane.

During a visit to the construction site on Thursday (February 26), Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie and State Minister in the Ministry, Hon. Delroy Williams, commended the Technical Team at the Trelawny Municipal Corporation for the progress being made on the project.

Minister McKenzie expressed satisfaction with the pace of the work and praised the team involved in advancing the development.

“I am very happy, very comfortable because I am seeing the kind of progress that I anticipated, and I want to commend the team, the mayor, the technical team, the matron and especially the contractor. He gave the commitment of a particular deadline, and I must confess, I am seeing those deadlines,” he said.

The Minister noted that the project forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the poor relief system in the parish.

“The work that we are doing here is a part of the overall work that we are doing as it relates to the poor relief system here in Trelawny,” he added.

Minister McKenzie also indicated that plans are being finalised to identify an appropriate location to house the Trelawny Poor Relief Department, as its previous office was also destroyed during the hurricane.

He further disclosed that State Minister Williams, who has oversight responsibility for matters relating to local authorities, has been tasked with overseeing the completion of the Trelawny Infirmary project.

For his part, Minister Williams underscored the importance of strengthening the Poor Relief Department, noting that it remains a critical component of local governance.

“It is significant that we structure the Poor Relief Department; it is a critical component of local governance in this country, and it is something that we at the Ministry have been committed to in terms of improving our system of poor relief delivery across the country. This project is in line and is aligned to policy direction and to our programmes across the Ministry, and it will be spread across the country,” he said.

He also emphasised the need to swiftly identify a suitable location to accommodate the staff of the Poor Relief Department.

Meanwhile, Mayor of Falmouth, Councillor Collen Gager, welcomed the development and expressed appreciation for the new facility, noting that the location will reduce the need to relocate residents in the event of another hurricane.

“I am happy because this time the residents will be able to stay in one place. When a hurricane is coming, we won’t have to be moving them out… for that, we are more than grateful,” he said.

The Mayor added that the residents are looking forward to relocating to their new home.

To date, one of the six prefabricated units has been placed on the property, while the remaining units are expected to be delivered by the supplier within the coming weeks.

NEW MARKET FOR THE TOWN OF ALEXANDRIA

Posted on March 2, 2026March 9, 2026

The more than century-old Alexandria market in St Ann will have a new look, according to Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie.

The market, which fell into a state of disrepair, and was eventually abandoned by vendors, will be transformed into a sustainably modern produce and meat market similar to the one constructed in Buff Bay, Portland, last year.  The Ministry will however, go a step further and construct a transportation centre next to it; this will help to alleviate the traffic congestion issue in the town.

“Today, I am here to break ground for the construction of this market. Melissa came and have left her mark here in Jamaica. Your government is committed… we’re starting from the ground up rebuilding, and we’re going to be rebuilding bigger, better and stronger, and that is very important,” Minister McKenzie said.

“It is a good day to be here because the last time I came here, I was disappointed. Just looking at the structure that exists tells me that something was urgently in need. There was a need for something to be done here in Alexandria…When I walked out on the street, and I spoke to a couple of the vendors, I could see they were not happy… the sidewalk was the only place that they could make a living.” Minister McKenzie lamented, while speaking at the official contract signing and groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, February 26, 2026.

Pointing to rehabilitative work done on the Ocho Rios Fire Station, the newly built St Ann Drop-in Centre, and other remedial work done on the Brown’s Town and Ocho Rios Markets, the Minister further highlighted the government’s commitment to its mandate of improving social services and infrastructure across the island.

“We are not just putting in a market, we are going to have adequate sanitary facilities for male and female, we are putting in a meat market, proper stalls, a small administrative office, and one of the things we started when we did the Clark’s Town market in Trelawny, was to put in a transportation centre… we’re building a modern market here in the town of Alexandria” he declared.

During his remarks, State Minister in the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Delroy Williams, spoke to the importance of infrastructure development, positing that it goes hand in hand with the obligations of the Ministry to drive economic growth.

“Infrastructure development is critical to community development. It is critical to developing spaces across various parishes. It is an important factor in driving commerce and in driving the local economy. It is always important for the local government infrastructure to invest heavily in infrastructure that will enhance community life and the local economy, which is critical to the broader economy,” said the Minister.

Minister Williams reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to projects of this nature that will play a critical role in enhancing community life.

State Minister in the Ministry of Finance and Public Service, and Member of Parliament for Southwestern St Ann, Hon. Zavia Mayne, expressed commendations to the councillor for the Alexandria division, Rohan Davidson, for recognising the need for the market and his continuous advocation for work to begin.

“Today is a great day, because we are breaking ground for a project that is ready to start…this is a constituency that is run by councillors… the voice in the Municipal Corporation to ensure that this project is shovel-ready and we are where we are, is councillor Rohan Davidson, and I really want to highlight him for the work and the advocacy that he has put in at the meeting at the Municipal Corporation to make sure that we are where we are today,” he said.

“Big things are on the horizon, big things are in the making, and I am sure that the people in this constituency are looking forward, not just to the market, but they are seeing a transformation of a constituency that many never imagined,” Minister Mayne added.

In closing, Minister Mayne pointed out that a development such as this is more than just a physical transformation but rather one that will bring renewed spirit and dignity to the town of Alexandria, signalling economic growth.

Construction on the market is expected to begin in a matter of weeks.

ST. MARY MUNICIPAL CORPORATION CONTINUING MONTHLY TOWN HALLS THIS YEAR

Posted on February 25, 2026February 25, 2026

JIS:

Residents of St. Mary can expect continued dialogue with the parish’s Municipal Corporation through its monthly town hall meetings.

Mayor of Port Maria and Municipal Corporation Chairman, Councillor Fitzroy Wilson, told JIS News that a commitment was made to give a “listening ear” to the community at least once per month.

Councillor Wilson stated that through these undertakings, “We will go into a different division, and everyone is invited. They can come, make their suggestions, query whatever they are unsure of, and we will have that communication.”

He added that State agencies are invited to these consultations, which are normally chaired by the Social Development Commission (SDC). The sitting Councillor of the respective division will also be in attendance.

“It’s mandatory that they (councillors) attend these consultations, so we can iron out whatever issues there are. A lot of the citizens don’t know the difference between what the roles and responsibilities of the councillor are, [compared to those] of other agencies and also the Member of Parliament. So, we use this as a forum for them to know, understand exactly where we are, how we can assist them, and by what means,” the Mayor said.

Councillor Wilson noted that around 10 of the 13 Divisions hosted town hall meetings last year, “and we will be continuing with them, going around, again, to those we have already started with.”

For February, the Retreat Division has been selected for the undertaking. The proceedings typically begin at 5:00 p.m. or later.

“So we would give persons the opportunity who are leaving work… to be a part of these meetings,” the Mayor pointed out.

CLEAN UP EXERCISE PLANNED FOR ST ANN INFIRMARY

Posted on February 3, 2026March 9, 2026

Saturday February 28, 2026

Following a tour of the St Ann Infirmary on Friday January 30, 2026, Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie announced that his team will organize a workday exercise at the Infirmary.

The facility was heavily impacted by hurricane Melissa last October, and the remedial works that have been undertaken on the property has resulted in a buildup of debris.

“We were planning, for next month to have a clean up of the facility, we will be binging in the National Works Agency, along with the SDC, and the councillors, and solid waste to have a clean up of the facility to remove a lot of the debris that is here.” said Minister McKenzie.

Last November, the Minister led a team compromising of officers from the Ministry, the Jamaica Fire Brigade, the Social Development Commission and the National Solid Waste Management Authority to conduct an extensive clean up initiative at the St Elizabeth Infirmary that was also severely impacted by Hurricane Melissa.

The Matron of the Infirmary, Ms. Alicia Drummond, noted that staff were recuperating from the effects of hurricane Melissa.

“We are getting back on our feet, after six weeks in a shelter, we are pretty much getting back into our normal settings here… it was a rough period during the relocation… so, the staff they are coming around now, there was a bit of burn out before, but they are doing well, they are coming along”, said Drummond.

The St Ann Infirmary provides care for 71 residents, all of whom were relocated to a temporary facility prior to Melissa making landfall in Jamaica and were housed at that location for six weeks while the Infirmary underwent repairs.

The Workday is scheduled for Saturday February 28, 2026, at 10am.

SDC LEADING THE CHARGE IN RE-IMAGINING EMERGENCY SHELTERS

Posted on January 26, 2026February 17, 2026

During a visit to Falmouth Trelawny, on Thursday (January 15), Minister of Local Government and Community Development, who is also the Deputy Chairman of the Disaster Risk Management Committee, Hon. Desmond McKenzie announced that the Social Development Commission (SDC) has been spearheading surveys of the existing community centres across the island that can be retrofitted and used as emergency shelters in preparation for the upcoming 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

He emphasized the necessity of reassessing emergency shelters given that many of them were compromised during the passage of the category five hurricane.

“A lot of the shelters have been compromised because of Melissa, and in another four months, we will be launching the hurricane season… we will now have to be looking seriously at some of our shelters, the SDC would have completed a survey island wide of community centres and we are going to be looking at community centres that can be converted, that we can remodel to turn those into shelters”, Minister McKenzie said.

“We have to change a lot of what was in place previously as it relates to the shelters… we cannot go forward using the same sort of system that we have been using” he disclosed.

He also added that other facilities under the purview of the local government ministry, such as markets and cemeteries, have been adversely affected by the hurricane, and those infrastructures will also be assessed.

Meanwhile, Executive Director of the Social Development Commission, Omar Frith, while speaking to staff of the Trelawny Infirmary during a social intervention session, revealed that the agency has received more than 100 applications from church groups looking to benefit from the $75 million grant allocation made available by the government to assist churches in their recovery efforts.

“We have received 176 applications to date…our next step really is to do the verification, that is a part of the important step for us. Not a technical verification on our own, we know that the major work is going to be clean up, for those minor repairs that will help, we have the support of the municipal corporations the various parishes, just to help us verify that the damage that they report and the costings for the damage they are seeking assistance, minor damages, those are verified” he said.

The SDC has been instrumental in the data collection and damage assessment process since the passage of the hurricane Melissa last October.

PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTION FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT STAFF

Posted on January 20, 2026March 9, 2026

The Ministry of Local Government and Community Development and the Board of Supervision through a partnership with Transform Life Church has been providing counselling sessions for staff members in western Jamaica, following the devastating effect of Hurricane Melissa. On Thursday (January 15), the group met with the staff of the Trelawny Infirmary for one-on-one and group sessions to help them navigate the trauma that might have been onset by the passage of the hurricane.

During the session, Local Government Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie lauded the staff for their hard work and dedication to service even in the face of adversity.

“I just want to say to you all, there is not enough words to express gratitude and thanks and appreciation on behalf of the government for the work that you have been doing and continue to do under trying and difficult circumstances” he said.

He also thanked the members of the church for coming to the rescue and offering help during this critical time.

“They have been good to us, because this is not the first time, that they have [left] the comfort of Kingston coming out in the country to meet people in the Ministry of Local Government and I want to say to you, how grateful I am, on behalf of the Ministry of Local Government and the government. I want to thank you for the work that you have been doing… I hope that this relationship continues,” he added.

Across the spectrum of local government, many staff remain resilient and continue to work, despite losing their homes and other personal belongings during the hurricane.

Carolyn Bolt Nicholas, from Transform Life Church expressed her gratitude for the collaboration.

“ We are just grateful to have the opportunity to do this, less about evangelizing but more about ministering to hearts… we are delighted to be here…It really is our honour to come and spend time with you and to be your sounding board, we are happy to be your sounding board to just sit and listen and allow you to offload as you do the work you do… you serve while you are bleeding,” she said.

Matron of the Trelawny Infirmary, Tracey-Ann Bell, welcomed the intervention of the church and the Ministry of Local Government for their swift action in addressing their needs.

“Thank you for Minister McKenzie, and his team in the Ministry of Local Government who worked so speedily to identify a new location for the infirmary, and who is keeping abreast of the process to ensure that as soon as possible, the residents can be relocated into the facility…Thanks to the Transform Life Church who came out today to provide psychological support, we appreciate it so much” she said.

In addition to listening ears and sound encouragement, the group from Transform Life brought along care packages for staff members to help lessen the burden brought on by the hurricane.

The church has been travelling across Jamaica to host counselling sessions. So far, they have met with the staff from the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation and intend to expand the initiative to other parishes that were ravaged by the Hurricane Melissa.