St. James Custos Commends Parish’s Responders

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 commitment of Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon, and all the responders working tirelessly in affected communities.

“Everyone in this room and those who are still unable to be here, we know that persons are working very hard in the various communities. It’s without question to say that our parish is seriously affected,” he noted.

He underscored the importance of strong coordination among agencies, particularly through the command centre, to ensure effective communication and response.

Noting the challenges being faced by residents, Bishop Pitkin urged all stakeholders to remained focused as the relief and recovery efforts continue.

“It is important that we, at this level, remain as calm as we possibly can, understanding the magnitude of the challenges that we face in the parish of St. James; but I am confident that as a resilient people, we will overcome this one and we will rise even better than we were before Melissa passed through,” he stated.

Bishop Pitkin also expressed gratitude for the prayers and support extended to the parish from well-wishers both locally and abroad.

“Prayers are coming from many parts of the world, assuring us that persons are praying, and not only prayers but support will be coming in to assist the people of St. James,” he said.

The Custos gave his commitment to supporting coordination efforts across the parish.