84 St. James Churches Receive $16M in Gov’t Post-Hurricane Recovery Support

Eighty-four churches in St. James have received over $16 million in support under the Government’s $75 million Community Church Clean-Up and Restoration Initiative.

The grants, aimed at repairing damage caused by Hurricane Melissa in October last year, were presented during a ceremony at Calvary Baptist Church in Montego Bay on Wednesday (June 24).

Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, handed over the cheques to leaders of several denominations, including Flanker Open Bible Church, Hillview Baptist Church, Full Gospel Central Church, and Retirement Door of Faith, among others.

He noted that while the funding is modest, it is expected to play a significant role in supporting churches as they continue their mission.

“What we have done is to offer churches a way to clean up… remove the debris. If you want to put on a roof or repair a window, that is what we have provided under the initiative,” the Minister outlined.

Mr. McKenzie emphasised that the churches receiving support were those that applied and were subsequently evaluated under the programme.

He stated that the initiative underscores the Government’s respect for the pivotal role of churches in society, affirming their position as the nation’s moral authority while urging congregations to remain steadfast as beacons of hope for Jamaica throughout the recovery process.

“We’re going to be turning our attention to the parishes of St. Ann and Clarendon, and we are going to be providing another $50 million to assist those churches under the initiative,” Mr. McKenzie indicated.

Meanwhile, the Minister commended the Social Development Commission (SDC) for its role in assessing the churches and coordinating the distribution of funds.

He noted that through its islandwide survey, the SDC identified more than 4,000 churches impacted by the hurricane, particularly in the hardest-hit parishes.

Mr. McKenzie acknowledged that while the $75 million allocation cannot fully address the scale of damage uncovered—and some churches may not be able to rebuild immediately—the funding nonetheless enables congregations to continue their ministry and sustain their work.

“The churches also play a critical role in the country when it comes on to disaster preparedness. We use church halls and church schools as shelters [during times of natural disasters],” he pointed out.

Pastor of Bogue Hill Baptist Church and Calvary Baptist Church in Montego Bay, Reverend Dr. Michael Shim-Hue, welcomed the assistance and expressed gratitude to the Government and the SDC for their efforts in helping churches’ post-hurricane recovery.

While noting that roof damage to his churches alone amounted to approximately $20 million, Dr. Shim-Hue affirmed that the support would nevertheless make a meaningful difference.

“When I heard the decision of the Government to assist churches with their post-Hurricane Melissa impact cleanup, I thought it was an excellent decision. I continue to commend the Government, because the Government is a steward of God’s resources,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Head of the Door of Faith Church of God, Bishop Terrence Gordon, explained that their church was not spared by the hurricane, and emphasised that any assistance provided would be deeply appreciated and used for its intended purpose.