St. James Receiving Assistance From International Partners

International partners have begun offering support to St. James as the parish moves into the recovery phase following the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa.

Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon, told JIS News that the municipality has already received outreach from overseas entities willing to assist in rebuilding efforts, including the Spanish Embassy.

“We have been receiving calls from persons outside. International aid, at this time, is very welcome. We can’t recover without the partnership of our brothers and sisters externally,” he said.

The Mayor expressed gratitude for the outpouring of solidarity, noting that Montego Bay’s resilience and community spirit will be central to its recovery.

He assured the international community that tourists on the island are safe, noting that there have been no distress calls from hotels and only three reports from visitors in Airbnb accommodations.

“They managed to stay safely, and all tourists are in good condition. We have not had any incidents or injuries among them,” he said.

Mayor Vernon added that the Sangster International Airport is in “reset mode” and recovery work is progressing faster than anticipated.

“Very soon, persons will be able to fly home to visit their loved ones and understand what they have gone through. We are pushing hard as a city to ensure we reconnect people once more,” he said.

He underscored that the recovery of Montego Bay will depend on unity and collaboration at all levels.

“We need national, regional, international, and community support to get this done, and I believe that support is there. We just need to coordinate it properly,” he said.

Mayor Vernon sent a message of hope and determination to the citizenry of the parish.