NWA, Labour Ministry Indicate Readiness for Impending Storm

The National Works Agency (NWA) has given its assurance that it is prepared to mitigate against the impending effects of Tropical Storm Ian.

During a special committee meeting of the National Disaster Risk Management Council on Friday (September 23), Senior Director, Project Implementation, at the NWA, Varden Downer, said that the entity is preparing its emergency operation centre and has put its parish teams on alert.

“We’ve also been liaising with our partners, primarily our contractors, to move equipment and be on high alert to be ready to move at a moment’s notice, if we need to clear roads, etc,” he outlined.

He added that the NWA has been examining vulnerable points along the island’s road network and is undertaking preparatory work, where flooding and landslides may occur during the weather event.

Mr. Downer also noted that the Agency is performing basic work in response to calls it has gotten about certain areas, with the resources it has available.

“Where we have our major works that are ongoing like the southern coastal highway improvement project, our contractors have been notified to close up the areas that they need to close up and ensure that remedial works are done so that adjacent properties…are not flooded out,” he said.

He pointed out that the NWA’s communications strategies are being fine-tuned and that parish offices have been tasked with having certain materials like river shingles ready, to be used if areas of roadway are washed out.

“So, the NWA is ready,” Mr. Varden assured, in ending his update to Local Government and Rural Development Minister, Hon. Desmond McKenzie.

The meeting was held at the Ministry’s Hagley Park road offices in Kingston.

For her part, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Colette Roberts Risden, noted that a meeting was held with all parish managers, who oversee the humanitarian assistance committees within parishes.

“We have (also) activated our response system within the Ministry. Instructions were given to ensure that all our vehicles are fully fuelled. Some vehicles have been redeployed to offices that are without vehicles,” Mrs. Risden said.

She noted that the parish offices are in dialogue with shelter managers and that the Ministry is prepositioning supplies to place greater focus on southern parishes, since the impending weather system is forecast to mainly affect those areas.

Tropical Storm Ian formed from the ninth tropical depression in the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane season. A tropical storm watch remains in effect for Jamaica as Ian moves closer to the island.