MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONFIRMS THAT HURRICANE SHELTERS ARE SAFE SPACES, URGES PEOPLE IN VULNERABLE AREAS TO USE THEM AS MELISSA NEARS

Posted on October 27, 2025November 5, 2025

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                     OCTOBER 27, 2025

MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONFIRMS THAT HURRICANE SHELTERS ARE SAFE SPACES, URGES PEOPLE IN VULNERABLE AREAS TO USE THEM AS MELISSA NEARS

Minister of Local Government and Community Development Hon. Desmond McKenzie is reiterating that Shelters across the island are safe spaces for people who live in communities vulnerable to severe weather events such as Hurricane Melissa, and is urging them to go to the network of Shelters to see out the impending Hurricane.

“I am aware of reports in the media today, which indicate that some people are concerned that they will not be secure if they use the Shelters. I want to put everyone at ease where this is concerned. Every one of our over 881 Shelters across Jamaica, is run by a Shelter Manager who has a support team, and they are at the facility before, during and after the Hurricane. Men and women are housed separately, except where whole families are being accommodated at the Shelter. The Shelters are clean, and are provisioned with all necessary supplies to ensure that all hygienic and public health standards are maintained. Additionally, the Police will be patrolling the various spaces before and after the Hurricane.

“It is critical that persons in specially vulnerable areas use these Shelters, which have been selected and prepared to ensure their safety from the Hurricane. I urge you not to be crippled by fear, or discouraged by rumours. The only purpose of the Shelters is your safety. Your Government is not callous or dismissive of your anxieties about leaving your homes for what could be a few days at least. However, I urge you to remember that personal, community and national recovery from this historically serious Hurricane is only possible if you are alive and well to make it happen. We want every single person in this country to be alive and accounted for when Melissa is over.

“I therefore call on you to co-operate with the agents of the ODPEM, the Disaster Co-ordinators and the security forces if you live in a specially vulnerable area. Please lock up your houses, take the things you need and move out temporarily. If you can stay with friends or relatives, please do so. If this is not possible, please take whatever supplies you need, including food, water and any medicines, use the buses being provided, and go to the Shelter nearest to you to see out the passage of Hurricane Melissa. These facilities are literally your shelter from the storm, and I call on you to use them.”

 

Contact: Communications Unit

Ministry of Local Government and Community Development

61 Hagley Park Road

Kingston 10

Tel: 876-618-7360-1

Minister Mckenzie Urges Jamaicans to Heed Warnings as Hurricane Melissa Nears

Posted on October 26, 2025

JIS:

As Hurricane Melissa approaches Jamaica, citizens are being urged to take the threat seriously and follow all official instructions.

Speaking in an interview with JIS News, Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, said that based on the projections, the weather system is moving slowly but definitely towards the island.

He said that citizens should adhere to all the instructions and information being shared by the Government.

“This is not the time for people to become complacent. I believe that we have been giving Jamaicans adequate notice,” he said, noting that daily press briefings are being held to share information with citizens.

“I can only urge Jamaicans to heed the warnings,” the Minister emphasised.

Minister McKenzie told JIS News that there are some communities where mandatory evacuation orders will be given.

“I’ve already written to the Most Hon. Prime Minister about that and those announcements will be made sometime [Sunday],” said Minister McKenzie.

He further reminded citizens that effective disaster response depends on everyone playing their part.

“The Government is ready to rise to the occasion to do what is necessary, but this is not a Government alone effort. The people have to buy into what is being told to them,” Minister Mckenzie emphasised.

“Many Jamaicans are praying and wondering what their future hold. A lot of us hold our destiny in our own hands, if we do what is correct,” he continued.

Minister Mckenzie also informed that all shelters have already been activated and three of them have started receiving persons.

Hurricane Melissa has intensified into a Category 4 system.

RESIDENTS IN VULNERABLE AREAS ENCOURAGED TO EVACUATE

Posted on October 26, 2025

While speaking at a Special Press Briefing at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management on Sunday (October 27), Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie once again called on residents of vulnerable communities to take heed and relocate to shelters as hurricane Melissa (now at Category 4) intensifies.

Minister McKenzie highlighted that some members of the homeless population are opting out of going into the shelters, however he asked that they do not take this Hurricane nor the Warnings lightly.  He pointed to one instance where a homeless man in the Harbour View area was offered assistance by Secretary of the Board of Supervision and the Inspector of the Poor as a part of their Assertive Team initiative, but he refused.

“ I notice that a lot of people is criticizing the government because one homeless man in the harbor view area who got personal attention from the Inspector of Poor and the Secretary of the Board of Supervision who went out and engaged him in lengthy conversation trying to convince him it is in his best interest to go to the shelters and he refused,” he said.

“We have made all the necessary provisions to remove the homeless population. We provided public transport to take them to the various facilities right across center and we will continue to do so as long conditions allow us to do so,” he added.

The Minister went on to address other instances of reluctance and urged residents to comply with the recommendation to move, while reiterating that the government has made every effort to get the cooperation from citizens living in flood prone and otherwise vulnerable communities.

“I don’t think we need an order to move from the areas that we know are vulnerable communities. Very encouraging, despite there are still persons in Port Royal who don’t want to leave, the Member of Parliament, Philip Paulwell called me last night to say that a significant number of persons in Port Royal have started to move around, left the community,”

He was addressing the mandatory movement order that he signed.

“It is not too late, if you having problems to move, call the ODPEM, numbers are available, we will assist with you if you are having problems in moving…when this event comes, it is going to be impossible after all the attempts that we have been making”, the Minister stated.

In less than 24 hours, the system upgraded from a category 1 hurricane to a category 4 system and is predicted to pass directly over Jamaica.

MINISTER MCKENZIE CALLS FOR THE REMOVAL OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS, BILLBOARDS AND CARS ALONG PUBLIC THOROUGHFARE

Posted on October 25, 2025October 26, 2025

Speaking at a Special Press Briefing on preparation for Tropical Storm Melissa at the Office of the Prime Minister on Saturday morning (October 25), Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie called on the responsible persons to remove construction materials and equipment, Billboards and cars along the public thoroughfare. Hon. Desmond McKenzie noted that several major construction sites have failed to remove items that could potentially become a danger to human life or cause damage to existing infrastructure during the storm.

“There are several major construction sites, that still has materials, sand, gravel, steel, and some cases, cranes, still hanging in the air. Going to make a general appeal this morning, to all construction sites, not just in the corporate area but right across the country that they must start to take the necessary steps to remove cranes, steel, sand, blocks, which will only contribute more to blocking our drains,” he urged.

Minister McKenzie further added that another concern was erected billboards. He then made an appeal for those items to be dismounted immediately and stored in a safe place until after the passage of weather system.

“Billboards should be taken down, this is the work of the Municipal Corporation, so I’m saying that all billboards, should be taken down at this time, and put in a safe place,” he added.

Minister McKenzie advised used car dealers who park their cars along the roadway to remove the vehicles, adding that haulage trucks were on patrol to remove the vehicles to the Riverton dump site, should they fail to comply.

“We still have used car operators who continue to use the public thoroughfare to display vehicles… just to advise, that a team of wrecker operators is presently combing the streets of the corporate area and where we find these vehicles, they’re going to remove them and take them to the Riverton City dump,” he said.

He cautioned that these items could become human missiles and can become a danger to others.

Tropical Storm Melissa is forecast to pass directly through Jamaica by Tuesday of next week.

Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) IN ST. ELIZABETH FULLY OPERATIONAL

Posted on October 24, 2025

MONTEGO BAY, October 22 (JIS):

            The Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in St. Elizabeth is fully operational and prepared to respond to Tropical Storm Melissa, which could pose a threat to Jamaica within the next 48 hours.

Following an emergency disaster meeting on Tuesday, October 21, Acting Parish Disaster Coordinator at the St. Elizabeth Municipal Corporation, Rasha Lloyd, told JIS News that all supporting agencies have reported a state of readiness as the parish braces for the potential impact of the tropical system.

“As it relates to our [87] shelters in the parish, all of those were inspected. Our shelter managers are in place, and they were put on standby yesterday,” said Ms. Lloyd.

She noted that the parish previously had 88 shelters, but one located in Flagaman remains out of operation after being destroyed by Hurricane Beryl in 2024. Residents from that area are now being encouraged to seek shelter at the Pedro Plains Primary and Infant School or the Seaview Primary and Infant School if the need arises.

“Our distribution of relief items to the shelters, we have commenced that, and we’re also still awaiting some relief items that we expect to get by the end of today, and then we will continue with the release into tomorrow,” Ms. Lloyd outlined.

She indicated that the parish’s EOC, headquartered at the Black River Fire Station, is fully functional with its generator ready and all supporting equipment, including a chainsaw, in working condition.

A secondary generator at the Municipal Corporation is also ready for use in the event of an emergency, she noted.

In the meantime, heavy equipment operators have been placed on standby by the Roads and Works Superintendent, and the parish has also completed preseason drain cleaning, with ongoing maintenance continuing.

“As it relates to our food items, we have memoranda of understanding with supermarkets, and they were also placed on standby,” Ms. Lloyd said.

“So, we continue to update our social media pages, such as Instagram and WhatsApp with the latest information as we receive them from the ODPEM,” she added.

St. Elizabeth was among the parishes hardest hit by Hurricane Beryl that caused severe damage to infrastructure and agriculture.

As such, Ms. Lloyd has urged residents not to take the threat of Tropical Storm Melissa lightly. Instead, she encouraged everyone to make the necessary preparations to safeguard lives and property.

All key agencies, including the Jamaica Fire Brigade, Jamaica Constabulary Force, National Works Agency, Jamaica Public Service, Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the Social Development Commission and the Ministry of Health & Wellness were represented at the meeting, either in person or online.

 

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CONTACT:   OKOYE HENRY

JIS REGIONAL OFFICE

MONTEGO BAY

 

STAY UPDATED ON BULLETINS AND FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS

Posted on October 23, 2025

KINGSTON, October 22 (JIS):

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, has appealed to citizens to stay up to date on the bulletins issued by the Meteorological Service of Jamaica and to heed the instructions given.

Mr. McKenzie, who is Deputy Chair of the National Disaster Risk Management Council, was virtually addressing a special press briefing on preparations for Tropical Storm Melissa at the Office of the Prime Minister in Kingston on Wednesday (October 22).

A tropical storm watch has been in place for Jamaica since Tuesday (October 21), and the Meteorological Service has advised that on its current track, the system could bring heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and rough seas to the island as early as Thursday (October 23), continuing into the weekend.

The Local Government Minister said Government has fast-tracked the necessary arrangements to respond to the system, including ensuring that all the requisite items needed for shelters are in place.

He said it is important that persons evacuate when advised, issuing a special appeal to the residents of Port Royal.

“If we are impacted by this event, it is going to be important that the community of Port Royal… when we provide the requisite transportation for them to be relocated to shelters, that they comply. I will be speaking with Member of Parliament (for Kingston East and Port Royal), Phillip Paulwell, because it is an area that is of grave concern to us, because we have not been getting the kind of cooperation that is required from the residents in Port Royal whenever there is an event,” he stated.

He further urged persons to take only the necessary items to the shelters.

“This would be your medication and, you know, some essentials,” he said.

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., similarly encouraged citizens to practise personal responsibility as the nation prepares for Tropical Storm Melissa.

“If you are in flood-prone areas, if you’re in a space that we learn will be impacted by Melissa, I’m asking you to take the necessary precautions to protect yourself, protect your space and protect your documents,” he urged.

He also emphasised the importance of keeping up to date with bulletins and information on the system.

“I ask that you stay in tune to your radios, TV… try to get the requisite information from all of the authorised and relevant spaces like the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, so you know, if needed, where you can go for support and what you should do to help and to contribute to this national effort,” the Minister said.

He further urged citizens to look out for their neighbours, especially those who may be old or vulnerable.

NSWMA INTENSIFIES GARBAGE COLLECTION TO CLEAR BACKLOGS ACROSS COMMUNITIES

Posted on October 23, 2025

KINGSTON, October 22 (JIS):

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, says the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) has intensified garbage collection efforts to address backlogs affecting several communities islandwide.

“The Solid Waste Authority, over the last week and a half, has been working extensively, especially over the last couple of days. We have been doing extra hours in some communities… working 24 hours a day around the clock. There is a special operation that is being undertaken islandwide, and there are some specific areas that have been identified for attention,” Mr. McKenzie outlined.

He was responding to questions during a special press briefing on preparations for Tropical Storm Melissa at the Office of the Prime Minister on Wednesday (October 22).

The Minister noted that persistent heavy rainfall has hindered waste collection efforts in several areas, contributing to delays in service delivery.

“The organisation is working. But I must admit that the volume of garbage that we have… and with the consistent rainfall that we are having… and the fact that in most of our landfills the roads are not fully paved, [this] makes the exercise a little bit tedious. But over the last couple of days, we have seen some increased activities,” he stated.

Minister McKenzie reiterated that a targeted waste removal operation is currently under way in selected areas across the island to address accumulated garbage.

ODPEM ON FULL ALERT

Posted on October 23, 2025November 5, 2025

KINGSTON, October 22 (JIS):

Director General of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Richard Thompson, says all systems and personnel are fully activated as Tropical Storm Melissa nears the island.

He said that the agency has been monitoring the system since last Thursday, (October 16).

“To date, we have carried out a number of activities in terms of our general preparation. The parish disaster coordinators, we placed them on standby from very early… from over the weekend, and we were having discussions then with the National Meteorological Service,” Mr. Thompson informed.

He noted, further, that the National Emergency Operations Centre held an operation planning meeting on Tuesday, “to get a good idea as to where we are in terms of our preparation and also to put persons in a frame of mind of the work that we have to do going into the weekend”.

That meeting included representatives of the municipal corporations, parish disaster coordinators, Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Jamaica Fire Brigade (JFB), and non-governmental organisations such as Jamaica Red Cross, Salvation Army, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), Food For the Poor and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

“So, we got those presentations in terms of our state of readiness, looking at our infrastructure, looking at our humanitarian processes, and looking at our overall national response processes,” Mr. Thompson said.

He noted that a critical part of ODPEM’s activation process is to ensure adequate disaster communication in times of an emergency.

As such, the agency is currently going through its radio protocols to ensure that “the national emergency response team is on the correct call group”.

Mr. Thompson said that preparations have been ongoing since the start of the hurricane season.

“So, the planning meetings will continue as we go into the weekend in order to ensure that we keep the country in a state of readiness, and we are putting in the necessary protocols that are needed to ensure that we are protecting our people,” he assured.

The ODPEM Director General encouraged citizens to continue to prepare and put themselves in a state of readiness for what will come over the weekend.

STATE MINISTER HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF WORK OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Posted on October 23, 2025October 23, 2025

Minister of State in the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Delroy Williams, says the impact of local government touches all aspects of the lives of Jamaicans. “You can’t hide from it; we are involved in every aspect of your life, for example road maintenance, flood mitigation, building regulations, disaster management and responsiveness – all of it is local government. The life you live, you can’t escape local government,” he said. Mr. Williams was speaking at the launch of the Cross-Country Island Run 2025, held on the grounds of the Manchester Municipal Corporation, in Mandeville, on October 21.

This was done by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, in collaboration with the Social Development Commission (SDC). This year’s theme is ‘Local Government: The Work Continues’. The State Minister said the Ministry is striving to serve people better, while streamlining efficiencies and applying technologies to its processes, so that service delivery can be far superior to what obtains now.

He added that excellent service delivery is an ongoing process that is always being worked on at the Ministry.

“I wish you athletes all the best for the run and I will join you whenever I can. Athletes will cover all 14 parishes carrying the Community Month message from the Governor-General, the Prime Minister, the Opposition Leader and the Minister of Local Government. It will end in May Pen on November 1 at the May Pen Seventh-day Adventist Church for the national church service,” he noted.

Local Government and Community Month will be observed in November. In her message read by Shaneil Dixon, Member of Parliament for Manchester Central, State Minister, Hon. Rhoda Moy Crawford, hailed the Local Government Ministry for the reminder that every community matters. “The cross-island run is more than a tradition. It is a reminder that every corner of Jamaica matters – from Negril Point to Morant Point. It speaks to unity, service and transformation across our island. This year’s run comes at a time when nation-building starts right where we live; every clean-up, revived youth groups and volunteerism are the things that make communities stronger,” she said. Meanwhile, Executive Director of the SDC, Omar Frith, said the all-island run should be used as a symbol of unity and community building.

He noted that the exercise was another good example of the SDC doing its part to ensure that the Ministry’s mandate is executed, no matter which government is in charge. “Let us hope that we translate this action into a meaningful gesture and the SDC will do its part to ensure that we not only speak unity, but our programmes and activities galvanise people for the purpose of building Jamaica. Stakeholders, students and other participants… I charge you to translate unity into your action,” Mr. Frith said. For his part, Mayor of Mandeville, His Worship, Councillor Donovan Mitchell, said the launch represents unity of purpose, strength, vigour and the foundation on which Local Government Month will be built.

RESIDENTS URGED TO COOPERATE WITH AUTHORITIES AMIDST THE APPROACH OF TROPICAL STORM MELISSA

Posted on October 22, 2025November 5, 2025

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, during his address at a press briefing in preparation for Tropical Storm Melissa, held at the Office of the Prime Minister on Wednesday (October 22), urged citizens to cooperate with Authorities. The meeting included several heads of agencies and government Ministries who provided updates on the country’s state of readiness.

Minister McKenzie called on citizens to obey the Authorities and cited that only necessities such as medications should be taken to the shelters if needs be.

“Take heed of the various instructions that are given. We have already fast-tracked the necessary arrangements when the system comes…I am going to urge people, if and when the shelters are activated, to only take the basic things to the shelters”

The Minister also used the opportunity to call on residents of Port Royal to be compliant if relocation becomes necessary. Port Royal, in the past, has been adversely affected by natural disasters and so the Minister asked that they cooperate with the authorities if they are asked to leave their homes.

“I am making a special appeal to the people in Port Royal, if we are impacted by this event, it is going to be important that the community of Port Royal make arrangements when we provide the requisite transportation for them to be relocated to shelters, that they comply,” he said.

I will be speaking with the Member of Parliament Philip Paulwell, because it is [an] area that is of great concern to us” he added.

Minister McKenzie said that the Municipal Corporations along with Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is ready to face whatever challenges that the country might experience as a result of the Storm.

Acting Director General of the ODPEM, Richard Thompson said that the disaster mechanism at both the parish level and the national level are on standby as the agency continues to monitor the progress of the storm.

Last evening, ODPEM held an Operation Planning Meeting with stakeholders to discuss preparation plans and state of readiness in the event the weather system worsens or hits the island.

“Those presentations in terms of our state of readiness look at our infrastructure, looking at our humanitarian processes, looking at our overall national response processes… we have gone through a process in terms of mapping out a comprehensive network for disaster communication supported by JICA,” Thompson added.

Last year, the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), invested more than $2 billion in a project aimed at developing Jamaica’s national emergency communication system in the event there is an outage of the main communication network on the island.

He also noted that the planning meetings will continue into the weekend to keep the country up-to-date, and to ensure that the necessary protocols are activated to safeguard the wellbeing of citizens.

Mr. Thompson stated that enough comfort and relief items are available to supply shelters should the storm become a threat to Jamaica. He added that this was a part of the agency’s shelter management process which is a collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security as well as other Non-Government Organizations (NGOs).

Melissa is the 13^th weather system to form since the start of the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season but is the first to pose a risk to Jamaica. According to the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, Melissa is slowly moving northwest and is expected to bring rainfall to Jamaica and Hispaniola over the next week 48 hours.