The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining has activated its emergency protocols and has convened its disaster management and mitigation committee in preparation for Hurricane Melissa. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Floyd Green, made the disclosure during a press briefing on Saturday (Oct. 25) at Jamaica House. He implored farmers and fishers to follow the Ministry’s advisories in their preparations for the...

The National Water Commission’s (NWC) emergency protocols are now fully in place, says Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Matthew Samuda. He provided the update during a special press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister on Saturday (Oct. 25). “We have moved to secure power supply additionally for our loading bays, for our trucking services. We...

Efforts to safeguard farm records, associated documents, and receipts should be high on the agenda of farmers as Hurricane Melissa approaches Jamaica. This is according to the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), which is urging full-scale preparedness among agricultural stakeholders. Senior RADA Plant Health and Food Safety Officer, Francine Webb, told JIS News that safeguarding farm records is a critical...

The Meteorological Service of Jamaica (Met Service) has advised that Tropical Storm Melissa has strengthened into a Category One hurricane and is expected to rapidly intensify into a major system, according to the latest bulletin issued at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday (October 25). At that time, the system was located near latitude 16.6 degrees North and longitude 75.2 degrees West—approximately...

The Ministry of Health & Wellness is advising the public that vector control activities — including fogging, larviciding, and community inspections — is likely to be temporarily disrupted, following the passage of Hurricane Melissa. With the anticipated significant increase in the mosquito population post event, members of the public are encouraged to stock up on repellant to protect themselves from...

The St. James Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) has been activated,  providing a multi-agency response to Tropical Storm Melissa. Operating from the fourth floor of the St. James Municipal Corporation building in Montego Bay, the centre is a centralised command where a broad coalition of representatives from critical public and private agencies and non-government partners, will monitor and direct preparedness and...

Merchants are being urged to keep their operations open for as long as it is safe to do so, to enable Jamaicans to purchase supplies in preparation for Tropical Strom Melissa. Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, in making the appeal during a press briefing at Jamaica House on Saturday (Oct. 25), encouraged them to use their discretion...