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.

AN EXTRA 100 BEDS WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR THE HOMELESS BEFORE CHRISTMAS

Posted on October 17, 2025

Phase 2 of the Desmond McKenzie Transitional Centre for the Homeless, located at Church Street, Downtown Kingston, will be completed and furnished in time for Christmas—this is the commitment made by Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie. The Minister was speaking to the media at Justice Square, King Street on Tuesday (October 14), after meeting with members of the homeless population who occupy the space.

“I can give the assurance to the country and to the people in Kingston that before Christmas, the second phase of the transitional facility will be ready for occupancy”

The facility, which was opened in 2022, is operated by the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation’s Poor Relief Department and is one of three such facilities in the Kingston and St Andrew area.

Currently, the facility’s dormitories house up to forty (40) clients, but the new addition will accommodate 100 beds—a part of the Ministry’s bid to minimise the issue of homelessness in Jamaica.  In his address to the media, Minister McKenzie pledged that the furnishings will be put in place before Christmas to ensure that the facility can be open to accommodate the growing number of homeless individuals.

The Minister added that the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, in collaboration with other ministries and agencies such as the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the National Housing Trust (NHT), will be fast-tracking other programmes that are in the pipeline to ensure that adequate housing is available for users of the service. He made the comment alluding to preliminary data collected from the National Homeless Survey, which indicates that the number of unhoused individuals in the corporate area has increased.

“I am going to be incorporating what we are doing, again with the Ministry of Health, who has been on board. But I have urged them [the homeless] that once we would have worked the thing out, we will be ensuring that those who want to go to the shelters, can go to the shelters”, he said.

“The survey that we have been doing on the homeless population has revealed, based on the early findings, that the number of homeless persons within this vicinity has increased”, the Minister added.

In recent times, Minister McKenzie expressed that beginning next financial year, the Ministry will begin to mobilise plans to establish at least one homeless shelter in each Parish to help alleviate the homeless crisis on the island.

Just last week, the Board of Supervision, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the Jamaica Constabulary Force and the Social Development Commission, embarked on an island-wide survey to determine the number of homeless people across Jamaica. This information will be instrumental in formulating policies and programmes that will be beneficial to the homeless who are living on the streets and in state care.

GOV’T COMMITTED TO STRENGTHENING SERVICES FOR THE HOMELESS – MINISTER MCKENZIE

Posted on October 15, 2025

KINGSTON, October 13 (JIS):

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, has affirmed the Government’s commitment to strengthening rehabilitation and mental health initiatives across the poor relief system to improve the care and well-being of homeless persons.

He was addressing a Wellness in the Park event to mark World Homeless Day at St. William Grant Park in downtown Kingston on Friday (October 10).

The event, hosted by the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, provided homeless individuals with a hot meal, grooming and medical checks, as well as care packages and other services.

Minister McKenzie commended the municipal corporations and other stakeholders across the island that undertook similar events in recognition of World Homeless Day.

He highlighted steps being taken by the Government to improve support for the homeless.

He noted that the Poor Relief Department recently conducted an islandwide survey of the homeless population, the findings of which will play a critical role in shaping policy to better respond to their needs.

“This survey will give us an opportunity, when it is done, to plan adequately to meet the demands of the homeless population here in Jamaica,” he said.

He implored the young people in attendance to uphold good values and avoid negative influences that may lead to homelessness and social instability.

“I want to urge you, students, don’t follow [bad] company…[adopt] the values that would make you better men and women,” Minister McKenzie advised.

“You are the future of Jamaica, and your contribution to help to eradicate problems that we face is critical as we go into the future,” he added.

MINISTER MCKENZIE PLEDGES UPGRADES TO CLARENDON DROP-IN CENTRE

Posted on October 14, 2025

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, has pledged to address concerns at the Clarendon Drop-in Centre to ensure that the facility adequately meets the needs of the parish’s homeless population.

He gave this undertaking while delivering remarks during the Clarendon Municipal Corporation’s observance of World Homeless Day on October 10, at the Old Police Station grounds in May Pen, Clarendon.

Mr. McKenzie shared that, in discussions with employees of the Corporation, he was apprised of “concerns about the drop-in centre here in Clarendon, and the fact that the facilities are not fully functional to meet the needs”.

He noted, for instance, that individuals with mental health challenges, though treated, often return to the streets due to the absence of adequate overnight accommodation.

            “I gave a commitment that whatever steps have to be taken to ensure that we activate the facility for persons who want to sleep overnight, that we put the necessary things in place to get it done,” the Minister assured.

Meanwhile, Mr. McKenzie reiterated the Government’s commitment to addressing mental health concerns among the homeless.

            “We are carrying out training on a daily basis to equip the workers in our infirmaries, in our drop-in facilities, training them in a way that they are able to respond to the challenges that exist,” he indicated.

            Mr. McKenzie further noted that the Local Government Ministry continues to implement measures to address mental health challenges across all its facilities.

“We in local government, in the last year, have trained some 38 psychiatric nursing aides that are deployed right across Jamaica in every infirmary and golden age home, to work to assist those who have that level of problems,” he stated.

Minister McKenzie advised that in the new fiscal year, government will train 38 additional psychiatric nursing aides.

“Once they are trained, we’ll be putting them in the system to strengthen the team that we have,” he added.

World Homeless Day was observed under the theme ‘Bridging Gaps in Homelessness: Connecting Persons to Services and Community through Data Collection’.

Clarendon Municipal Corporation Treats Homeless on World Homeless Day

Posted on October 13, 2025October 13, 2025

Homeless persons in Clarendon were treated to meals, care packages, health screenings and other social services by the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, in collaboration with the Clarendon Municipal Corporation, in observance of World Homeless Day.

World Homeless Day (October 10) was observed in Jamaica under the theme ‘Bridging Gaps in Homelessness: Connecting Persons to Services and Community through Data Collection’.

The Clarendon Municipal Corporation’s World Homeless Day Awareness activities included the provision of services from agencies such as the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), Tax Administration Jamaica (TAJ), the Office of the Registrar General under the National Identification Registration Authority (ORG-NIRA) and the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA).

Attendees at the event, held at the Old Police Station grounds in May Pen, Clarendon, received assistance with signing up for important documents such as taxpayer registration numbers (TRNs) and birth certificates under the Operation Birthright programme.

They also accessed critical health services such as blood pressure and sugar checks, HIV tests, height and weight checks, among others.

In remarks delivered during a brief ceremony, Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie reiterated the Government’s commitment to protecting members of the homeless population and delivering essential services to them.

“That is why we are undertaking the [National Homeless] Survey that started this week with the SDC (Social Development Commission), working with the Municipal Corporations and the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders, to identify where our homeless population is, what the numbers are, what their needs are, in order for us, as a caring government, to respond to the plight of the homeless population,” Mr. McKenzie affirmed.

He urged Jamaicans to help the Government to improve the circumstances of homeless individuals by contributing in whatever way they can.

“As we observe this day, let it not be just for today alone. Let us put on the agenda on a daily basis the problems of the homeless and those who are mentally challenged in Jamaica,” the Minister encouraged.

The World Homeless Day Awareness event was also attended by Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., who donated items including food packages and a mobility walker to the Poor Relief Department from the Ministry.

Mr. Charles Jr. emphasised the importance of collaboration across ministries, communities and agencies for the betterment of the nation.

“Today is an example of partnership across ministries, connecting to parish council, connecting to academia and connecting to community,” he stated.

DISASTER COORDINATORS URGED TO MAINTAIN HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS WITH PARTNER AGENCIES

Posted on October 8, 2025

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, has urged the island’s disaster coordinators to maintain healthy relationships with partner entities to strengthen the island’s disaster response mechanism.

The Minister gave the charge while speaking at a recent meeting of parish disaster coordinators, representatives of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) and officers of the Hazard Mitigation and Risk Management Unit of the Ministry.

Mr. McKenzie stressed that parish disaster coordinators are essential to the work of municipal corporations.

He explained that “whatever initiative is undertaken by municipal corporations, there has to be an input from the disaster coordinators”.

“Based on the knowledge that you should have of areas in various communities where flooding occurs, areas where whenever it rains, there is impact on communities, you should be a part of those discussions from the outset,” the Minister said.

He explained that disaster coordinators should also develop working relationships with agencies such as the Fire Brigade, “so that they are involved in daily operations”.

Mr. McKenzie also called on the coordinators to ensure that the various disaster committees that they are required to facilitate are up and running.

Meanwhile, the Minister reminded the parish disaster coordinators that their role requires them to be active all year round.

“We have to move to a stage where the disaster coordinators become more active during the year, and not just part-time,” he said.

Pointing out that the Hurricane Season is now half-way complete, the Minister also reminded them of their responsibility to ensure that shelters are in good condition and ready to host citizens if needed.

In his remarks, State Minister, Hon. Delroy Williams, emphasised the importance of proper coordination between agencies involved in disaster response.

“We can’t respond effectively without coordinating our efforts with other agencies… other agencies also play critical roles during a disaster,” Mr. Williams stated.

He urged the relevant stakeholders to continue working on their coordination to ensure maximum effectiveness during and after a disaster.

National Homeless Survey

Posted on October 6, 2025October 14, 2025

BOARD OF SUPERVISION URGES COMMUNITY SUPPORT TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS

Posted on September 30, 2025October 14, 2025

The Board of Supervision (BOS) is urging citizens to demonstrate greater compassion and active support for individuals experiencing homelessness.

The call comes as the BOS, through the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, prepares to undertake the National Homeless Survey in October.

The Survey will serve as a national count of individuals experiencing homelessness, generating critical data to inform policy development and guide targeted intervention strategies.

Secretary at the Board, Treka Lewis, told JIS News that being homeless does not define an individual and, as such, it is important to see the humanity in every person affected by homelessness.

“Someone experiencing homelessness is, just at the moment, experiencing homelessness; it is not their definition… it is not who they are. It is just a stage in life that they have reached, based on varying circumstances… it can happen to anyone. So I’m imploring all of us to remember the humanity and the human beings that you will see when you pass someone just lying on the ground,” she said.

Ms. Lewis further encouraged Jamaicans to engage meaningfully with individuals experiencing homelessness and offer support wherever possible.

“Volunteer at our facilities, at our drop-in centres, our night shelters, our transitional facilities, as well as provide financial support if you can, provide employment, provide training,” she said, adding that persons may also choose to come in and help these vulnerable individuals regain their soft skills.

Ms. Lewis noted that the last National Homeless Survey, conducted in 2017, identified 1,938 individuals experiencing homelessness across Jamaica.

She indicated that, since then, anecdotal reports from Poor Relief Departments within Municipal Corporations suggest that the number has risen to approximately 2,400.

“We want to ascertain the real truth on the ground; a survey will give us the real numbers,” Ms. Lewis said.

Data collection for the 2025 National Homeless Survey will commence on October 6 across all parishes, culminating on World Homeless Day, October 10.