Businesses Urged to Assist Jamaicans Making Last-Minute Purchases

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 and judgement in making the decision.

“There are persons who still are not prepared and are finding it difficult at the last moment. So…we’re not going to be using any other powers that we could under the DRMA (Disaster Risk Management Act) but we’re using this platform to urge our suppliers and distributors to consider keeping their shops, warehouses and supermarkets open for as long as possible to ensure that our citizens are able to get supplies,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said distributors have indicated that they are adequately stocked.

“A part of managing the response is to manage trade and commerce to ensure that our supermarkets, our shops are properly stocked and that our distributors have stocks in their warehouses.  I have been briefed by the Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce [Senator the Hon. Aubyn Hill], who said the trades have reported that they have sufficient stock to carry us through the initial phase of the weather event and to carry us even during the relief and recovery phase,” he said.

Jamaica is under a hurricane warning as the system inches closer to the island. Tropical Strom Melissa is expected to make landfall in Jamaica as a category four hurricane.