JAMAICA ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY
#PostHurricaneMelissa
The Municipal Corporations across the island have taken an ‘each one, help one’ approach, in response to the damage sustained by Hurricane Melissa according to Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie; he was speaking at the Hurricane Melissa Relief and Recovery Press Briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister last evening (November 3, 2025).
“Seven of the Municipalities have been severely affected by the passage of the hurricane and none of these Municipalities have anywhere to conduct administrative activities… I am pleased to announce that the municipalities that have not been affected, have now moved into those parishes, a team from KSA has gone into St Elizabeth, teams from Portmore, St Catherine, St Thomas to other communities to cover areas in western Jamaica that has been severely affected by the passage of the hurricane,” he said.
Minister McKenzie disclosed that the parishes that were severely affected by Hurricane Melissa, not only suffered infrastructural damage, but they also experienced financial setbacks, as their revenues were also adversely impacted by the disaster.
“I must also make the point that the revenues of the Municipal Corporations have been severely affected by the passage of the Hurricane. And as I speak, at least 30% of our markets have been damaged, some destroyed” he said.
In light of the widespread effects of the Hurricane, Minister McKenzie announced plans for a National Clean Up Campaign that will be spearheaded by the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) through a collaboration with the National Works Agency (NWA), Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo.) and the Ministry of Education, in a bid to remove the debris caused by the hurricane.
“This clean up exercise will include the National Works Agency, TPDCo, the Ministry of Education and it will be led by the National Solid Waste Management Authority, the purpose of the cleanup ladies and gentlemen is for Jamaicans to participate in this National Clean up exercise that will take place right across the country in every community,” he said
The Social Development Commission will work within the communities to coordinate teams across Jamaica to participate in the initiative.
