JCF Supporting Recovery At Airports And Seaports

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), through its Ports Division, has been providing critical support to the island’s major airports and seaports as recovery efforts continue in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

Head of the JCF Ports Division, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Stephanie Lindsay, told JIS News that the police have been working closely with key partners at Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA), Sangster International Airport (SIA), and Ian Fleming International Airport (IFIA) both before and after the passage of the hurricane to ensure that operations resume safely and efficiently.

“Our role as the police is really to ensure that order is maintained. We know there’s a strong push to have facilities reopened as soon as possible and to accommodate incoming relief supplies. Our job is to make sure this happens in a safe, orderly manner,” she said.

She noted that when the airports were closed, police officers established and maintained a security cordon.

At NMIA, a checkpoint was set up at the entrance to manage access and to ensure that only authorised personnel were allowed on the premises.

This was done to avoid traffic congestion or crowding as stakeholders worked to restore normal operations, SSP Lindsay said, noting that “the safety of everyone on the compound remains our top priority”.

At SIA, which will require additional time for full recovery, the Ports Division Head said that police teams stationed there remained on duty throughout the storm, ensuring continued security under challenging conditions.

SSP Lindsay pointed out that the JCF Ports Division is also providing support at the Port of Kingston, one of the island’s key shipping hubs. She said that while the area avoided the severe flooding seen in previous storms, the police are maintaining a presence to assist port authorities and logistics partners as they resume activities.

Meanwhile, at Freeport in Montego Bay, SSP Lindsay told JIS News that one JCF location had to be evacuated due to flooding and structural damage.

She informed that the JCF’s Property Management Department and its Infrastructure Development Unit have been tasked with assessing the site and coordinating necessary repairs to ensure that facilities are restored and operational as quickly as possible.

“The JCF remains committed to supporting all our partners during this recovery period. We are ready, we are always ready… and we will continue to stand alongside all agencies working to get the nation’s critical infrastructure back up and running”, SSP Lindsay said.