Security Forces Properly Mobilised and Deployed – PM

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, has informed that the security forces are properly mobilised and deployed to maintain law and order during and after the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

“I am sufficiently satisfied that the security forces are properly deployed in such a way as to prevent any break in law and order. Whenever there is any kind of disaster you know there will always be that element in our society who is not a part of the common good and has no concern for their neighbour, and we have to protect ourselves against them and protect them as well. The security forces are properly mobilised and they understand how we should posture in this disaster,” he said.

Dr. Holness provided an update during a press conference at the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC), located at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) in Kingston, on October 27.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister said the legislative framework that guides other critical agencies will also guide the security forces and their response to citizens.

“The rights of citizens must be respected at all times, even in a disaster, and so we have a legislative framework that will not just guide the emergency responses of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), the National Works Agency (NWA) and Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) but it also guides how the Security Forces will respond,” he added.

Furthermore, he said the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) is on full alert and has put in place its necessary protocols.

“They have a system where they have specialised teams for disaster response called DART (Disaster Assistance Response Team), and those teams have already stood up, but directives have been given that the entire JDF is now the DART… everybody will be used for the national good if we have strike on our country through this hurricane category five that could cause significant dislocation,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Dr. Holness urged persons to stay inside and within the precincts of their home and property and urged them not to engage in antisocial behaviours.

“Don’t venture outside unnecessarily because the winds, as you can see, can pick up at any time, the rains can come at anytime, you can be caught in a flashflood, so we urge you at this time to stay inside, that’s the safest place to be at the moment and that gives less work to the Security Forces,” the Prime Minister said.

“Looting and other kinds of antisocial behaviour, which I would include having parties in the rain, playing football in the rain, running in the gullies, I urge all our citizens and I make a special appeal to our young people – some have never really experienced the true impact of a hurricane – I urge you to stay inside and I ask our heads of households and elders to engage with our young people, so that they understand,” he said.

Hurricane Melissa is expected to make landfall as a category four or five hurricane bringing strong winds, heavy rainfall over the entire country, causing flooding and landslides.