Local Government Ministry Assessing Areas in Kingston and St. Andrew Impacted by Friday’s Flood Rains

The Ministry of Local Government and Community Development is assessing areas affected by Friday’s (September 19) heavy rains, which caused severe flooding across the Corporate Area.

Portfolio Minister, the Hon. Desmond McKenzie, said the exercise “is to see what can be done and how we are going to get it done.”

He said that the assessment is important as the island will continue to face unpredictable weather events during the hurricane season.

The Minister was speaking at a special sitting of the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) to install newly elected councillors, at the Corporation’s downtown Kingston offices on Monday (September 22).

Mayor of Kingston, Councillor Andrew Swaby, in his remarks, said that the KSAMC will be ramping up its drain cleaning programme to mitigate flooding.

“We acknowledge that the KSAMC, as the local authority, must play its role in the overall cleaning and maintenance of drains and gullies and will strive to do so in a more timely manner,” he said.

Mr. Swaby informed that Friday’s heavy rains caused widespread flooding and damage which affected homes, businesses and the road network across Kingston and St. Andrew.

He noted that a team from the KSAMC, comprised of councillors, the city engineer, the disaster coordinator, and the Chief Executive Officer visited some of the impacted areas on Saturday (September 20).

“Residents lost furniture, appliances, and peace of mind,” he lamented.

The Mayor noted the impact of climate change in intensifying rainfall and flooding.

“While we acknowledge that weather conditions are an act of God and outside of our control, the belief that global warming has contributed to the changing weather pattern forces us to be more vigilant,” he said.