Approximately 90,000 families in western Jamaica were directly affected by the passage of Hurricane Melissa on October 28. This is according to the initial damage assessment by Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management ODPEM), which also indicated that more than 120,000 buildings lost their roofs. Newly appointed Director General at ODPEM, Commander Alvin Gayle, gave the update on Thursday...

The Chinese community, through the Guangdong Association, has donated approximately $2.5 million worth of relief supplies to support recovery efforts in St. Ann’s Bay following the passage of Hurricane Melissa. The donation, which includes bottled water, toiletries, and basic food items such as flour and rice, will be distributed to the St. Ann’s Bay Infirmary, senior citizens, and residents whose...

Custos of St. James, Bishop the Hon. Conrad Pitkin, has commended the dedication and hard work of all agencies and individuals involved in the ongoing recovery and relief efforts across the parish in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. Speaking at a recent follow-up meeting of the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at the St. James Municipal Corporation, Bishop Pitkin lauded the...

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and the St. James Municipal Corporation carried out a massive operation in Catherine Hall and Westgreen on Tuesday (November 4), commencing the clean-up of the parish following the passage of Hurricane Melissa. The initiative is aimed at restoring normalcy to communities that have been severely affected by the storm, which made landfall on...

Effective immediately, the Office Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has been reassigned to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). A new Director General, Commander Alvin Gayle, has also been appointed. He has been seconded from the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) to take leadership and streamline the operations of the entity. This was disclosed by Prime Minister, Dr. the...

Municipal Corporations that were not affected by the recent passage of Hurricane Melissa have been mobilised to assist those whose operations have been severely disrupted. This was stated by Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, during the November 3 special media briefing at Jamaica House. “As you know, seven of the municipalities have been severely affected...

The spirit of community is alive and well across the northern parishes of St. James, Trelawny, and St. Ann as residents come together to clean up their communities and support their neighbours in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. As soon as it was deemed safe, residents quickly mobilised, pouring into neighbourhoods to clear roadways, assist neighbours, and begin the long...