A comprehensive real-time audit of Jamaica’s Hurricane Melissa relief efforts has revealed severe systemic failures within the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), raising serious concerns about the management of public resources during national emergencies.
The Auditor General’s Department (AuGD) investigation, presented to the House of Representatives, uncovered multiple violations of established procurement protocols and inadequate oversight mechanisms. The audit specifically examined the governance framework, distribution processes, and internal controls designed to prevent fraud and misuse of disaster relief funds.
According to financial data provided by the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, the government awarded 420 contracts totaling $11.13 billion in response to Hurricane Melissa. ODPEM accessed $207 million of the $350 million authorized withdrawal from the National Disaster Fund (NDF) for relief operations.
The audit identified a critical failure in oversight, revealing that the National Disaster Fund Committee (NDFC) convened only twice since its appointment in September 2020, with its last meeting occurring in June 2022. The committee’s term expired in September 2023, and as of December 2025, no new appointments had been made, constituting a direct violation of the Disaster Risk Management Act.
A particularly troubling finding involved the procurement of 200 Starlink satellite communication devices costing $12.12 million. The investigation determined that Energy, Transport and Telecommunications Minister Daryl Vaz improperly initiated the procurement through ministerial instruction rather than through ODPEM’s Director General, contravening the Public Procurement Act of 2015. The devices were delivered to the Office of the Commissioner of Police on November 14, 2025, yet ODPEM only began preparing required procurement documentation five days after delivery.
The audit further revealed that only 120 devices were distributed to 17 entities, with just 13 entities confirming receipt of 86 devices. Physical inspections at eight locations found all 41 examined devices remained unused and in storage, defeating their purpose for emergency connectivity in hurricane-affected parishes.
Additional findings included $59.6 million worth of relief items (food, tarpaulin, and water) that were not recorded in ODPEM’s inventory system, indicating a complete lack of effective tracking and accountability measures for critical emergency supplies.
The AuGD has recommended urgent appointment of a new NDFC, immediate improvement of inventory management systems, and implementation of a structured deployment plan for all Starlink devices. ODPEM has committed to addressing these deficiencies by January 30, 2026.