The Government will undertake a comprehensive review and restructuring of Jamaica’s disaster preparedness and response framework, in light of the widespread destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa on October 28. This was disclosed by Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie. “One lesson Melissa has taught us is that there can be something greater than Melissa, worse than...

Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, has lauded the leadership and staff of schools severely impacted by Hurricane Melissa, noting that they have shown resilience in the face of significant damage and loss. “They are not just sitting down and that is why I say we have some of the best principals...

The police and community members have cleared debris from the roadway leading to the St. Catherine-based Guanaboa Vale Primary School, caused by the passage of Hurricane Melissa on October 28. During a community workday, today  (November 3), to restore normalcy in the aftermath of the storm, Head of the Guanaboa Vale Police, Sergeant Navelette Davis-Leachman, told JIS News in an...

A meeting of key stakeholders to discuss the way forward for Jamaica’s education system, following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, is set for tomorrow (November 4). The announcement was made by Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, during a special press briefing on Hurricane Melissa recovery at Jamaica House in Kingston on...

The leadership of the Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital in Westmoreland has expressed heartfelt gratitude for the overwhelming support received from volunteers, partners, and community members, even as the institution continues to grapple with extensive damage to its facilities in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. Senior Medical Officer (SMO), Dr. Suman Vemu, described the impact as “devastating”, noting that both the...

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith (right), engages in conversation with Lt. Col. Fernando Castañeda from the El Salvador Army, at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston. Lt. Col. Castañeda is among personnel who arrived alongside humanitarian aid from El Salvador on Sunday (November 2). El Salvador has sent three planes carrying...

Director of Customer Solutions at the Jamaica Public Service (JPS), Leroy Reid, says the company is conducting detailed damage assessments across the island, following the extensive impact of Hurricane Melissa on the electricity grid. He was speaking to JIS News after a follow-up Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) meeting at the St. James Municipal Corporation, on Friday (October 31). Mr. Reid...