标签： Jamaica

Residents across western Jamaica are confronting a holiday season overshadowed by destruction and hardship following Hurricane Melissa’s catastrophic passage in late October. Multiple communities report extensive damage to homes and businesses, with many families facing Christmas without electricity, adequate shelter, or means to sustain their livelihoods.

In the Burton district of Lacovia, St. Elizabeth, Jerome Thompson and his partner Atasha Bennett described their severely damaged home where the roof was completely torn off and furniture destroyed. With five children including twin boys, the couple urgently requires building materials and cement to address structural damage and persistent leaks. ‘Our living conditions have become unbearable without electricity,’ Bennett stated, emphasizing the family’s discomfort and displacement.

Similarly affected is Roy Hutchinson, a double amputee and small business owner in Rocky Hill who operates a tire repair shop and poultry operation. Hutchinson reported substantial business losses due to the prolonged power outage, preventing him from conducting basic repairs or preserving his poultry stock. ‘I lost approximately one hundred chickens—some perished during the storm, others I had to distribute within the community,’ he explained. Despite organizing a fundraising event scheduled for December 19th, Hutchinson acknowledged the ongoing challenges of high feed costs and diminished customer activity.

The hurricane’s impact extends to elderly residents like 64-year-old Hortense Ford of Parottee, whose two-bedroom home—originally provided by charity organization Food For The Poor—was completely destroyed. Now residing temporarily with relatives, Ford emotionally recounted losing all her possessions and facing Christmas without employment or financial resources. During the storm, Ford, her daughter, and two grandsons narrowly escaped rising floodwaters that inundated their coastal community. She expressed desire to relocate to safer ground near the roadside rather than rebuild on the flood-prone property.

Despite these dire circumstances, glimmers of resilience emerge. Hutchinson noted his gratitude for life and health, stating: ‘I remain thankful that I can still move around and function daily.’ Community solidarity has manifested through shared resources and emergency shelter arrangements, though residents unanimously emphasize the critical need for structural support, electrical restoration, and construction materials to rebuild their shattered lives.

KINGSTON, Jamaica—Jamaica’s Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB) has witnessed substantial engagement with its newly introduced debt relief initiative, with more than 6,000 borrowers successfully registering through the agency’s customer portal since its launch.

Current data reveals that approximately 3,600 applicants have formally sought enrollment in the debt reset programme. Among these, 800 individuals have applied for arrears credit assistance, while 2,900 have requested the ‘good standing’ credit benefit amounting to $100,000.

Cheryl Surjue, Director of Client Relationship Management Services, confirmed that nearly 25,000 borrowers are potentially eligible for relief under this temporary initiative designed for targeted loan accounts delinquent as of October 31, 2025.

The comprehensive debt relief package includes full waiver of late fees and insurance charges, alongside a 50 percent reduction in interest arrears accumulated through October 31, 2025. To qualify for these benefits, borrowers must settle the remaining balance of outstanding arrears within the programme’s designated timeframe.

During a recent Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ session, Surjue announced that the good standing credit has already been successfully processed and applied to the accounts of onboarded applicants. “Borrowers can immediately verify this credit through their online portal accounts,” she stated.

Surjue emphasized that programme participants must clear their principal arrears—either through lump-sum payment or scheduled installments—to activate the debt relief benefits. This structured approach enables borrowers to achieve financial reset and resume regular monthly payments.

Owin Watson, SLB’s Debt Recovery Manager, clarified that borrowers must complete the digital onboarding process at register.slbja.com to access the portal and confirm benefit application. The registration requires Taxpayer Registration Number (TRN) verification and personal information submission including name, email, and telephone number.

“Upon successful onboarding,” Watson explained, “borrowers gain immediate access to download updated loan statements displaying the applied credits visibly.”

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness has formally designated the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) to spearhead comprehensive rehabilitation efforts in the hurricane-battered town of Black River. This decision marks a critical transition from emergency response to structured recovery operations following the devastation wrought by Hurricane Melissa.

During an inspection tour of affected areas, Holness emphasized the urgent need to address the temporary debris storage site at Independence Park, a vital recreational facility for local residents. “Independence Park constitutes an essential component of the town’s recreational life,” Holness stated. “We cannot permit this space to evolve into a permanent dumping ground.”

The Prime Minister outlined the dual environmental and public health imperatives driving the cleanup initiative. “Post-disaster debris management is crucial not merely for aesthetic restoration but for mitigating serious health hazards,” he explained, referencing previous leptospirosis outbreaks linked to inadequate waste management. “Eliminating this debris is fundamental to controlling public health risks.”

UDC General Manager Bobby Honeyghan confirmed the operation would incorporate sanitation measures specifically designed to safeguard community health. The corporation will leverage its statutory urban development mandate to execute the cleanup with fiscal responsibility, focusing on business and residential areas within the township proper.

This municipal-focused effort will operate concurrently with the broader National Clean-up Programme, though Holness clarified these initiatives would maintain distinct operational boundaries without overlap. While the UDC concentrates on Black River’s urban core, the national program will continue addressing surrounding communities and other hurricane-affected regions.

ST JAMES, Jamaica — A deadly altercation erupted in the Rose Heights community of St James on Monday afternoon, resulting in the deaths of three individuals following an armed confrontation with security personnel. Preliminary reports indicate that members of the security forces were conducting operations in the area when they encountered a group of armed men. The situation escalated into an exchange of gunfire between the two parties. Upon securing the scene, authorities discovered three males sustaining critical gunshot wounds. Emergency medical services promptly transported the injured individuals to a nearby medical facility. Despite receiving urgent medical attention, all three suspects succumbed to their injuries and were pronounced dead at the hospital. The Jamaica Constabulary Force has launched a standard investigation into the incident, which represents the latest in a series of security operations aimed at combating escalating violence in the St James parish. The identities of the deceased remain undisclosed pending formal notification of next of kin. This incident occurs amid ongoing government efforts to address gang-related violence and criminal activities through enhanced security measures across troubled communities in western Jamaica.

Jamaican authorities are confronting a coordinated campaign of infrastructure sabotage that is severely impeding recovery efforts following Hurricane Melissa. Transport, Telecommunications, and Energy Minister Daryl Vaz has revealed that intelligence indicates a small, organized network—not random individuals—is systematically targeting critical utility infrastructure for short-sighted gains.

Speaking at the Jamaica Observer Press Club, Minister Vaz emphasized that security forces and ministry intelligence have identified repeat offenders whose calculated actions are deliberately slowing restoration work. Contrary to perceptions of widespread vandalism, the minister characterized these acts as the work of a tight-knit criminal clique exploiting the post-hurricane chaos.

“This isn’t random activity but targeted sabotage by groups who mistakenly believe they’re stealing valuable materials,” Vaz stated. “Their actions demonstrate profound ignorance—they’re often damaging equipment with zero resale value while creating national disruptions.”

The government’s response centers on implementing tougher penalties through legislative reforms. Vaz warned offenders would face substantial jail terms rather than symbolic punishments, with enhanced sentences for repeat violations. This hardened stance comes as telecommunications providers Digicel and Flow report that cable theft and equipment destruction have repeatedly set back their restoration timelines, sometimes plunging entire business districts into communication blackouts.

Adding credibility to the government’s claims, Jamaica Constabulary Force recently charged a taxi operator with simple larceny and malicious destruction of property after he was allegedly caught stealing telecommunications cables from a St. Ann manhole in early December. Law enforcement intercepted the suspect following a pursuit, recovering stolen cables and impounding the vehicle.

Vaz highlighted the disproportionate economic impact of these crimes: “A single cable slice can paralyze New Kingston for days. The costs extend far beyond telecom companies to affect national productivity and public safety.” The government continues collaborating with utility providers to share intelligence and strengthen infrastructure protection during this critical recovery period.

Portmore, St Catherine is undergoing significant infrastructure enhancements as the National Works Agency (NWA) advances its road expansion project along Braeton Parkway. This critical initiative, slated for completion by December 2024, forms part of a comprehensive traffic management strategy accompanying the larger $2.4-billion Naggo Head to Braeton Road and Hellshire main road dualisation project that commenced in June.

Stephen Shaw, NWA’s communications and customer services manager, explained the strategic importance of widening Braeton Parkway from Portmore Tax Office to Hung Way Shopping Mall intersection. “This expansion creates vital capacity for traffic circulation around our primary construction zone,” Shaw stated, emphasizing that no additional costs are associated with this specific roadway widening. The project includes improvements at the Municipal Boulevard intersection to optimize traffic movement.

While installation of drainage features including a box culvert will temporarily reduce carriageway availability, officials confirmed no complete road closures are currently anticipated. Mayor Leon Thomas welcomed the development, noting the corridor’s heavy utilization by motorists and pedestrians amid growing business development. “We’re striving to complete portions before Christmas to improve residents’ daily commute,” Thomas commented, referencing traffic challenges exacerbated by both construction activities and recent Hurricane Melissa impacts.

The broader 16-month dualisation effort falls under Jamaica’s Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) Programme, representing substantial government investment in urban infrastructure. The project will transform approximately three kilometers of roadway into a modern four-lane thoroughfare featuring raised medians, sidewalks, and synchronized traffic signals. Additionally, the initiative incorporates underground duct installation for fiber-optic cables as part of the National Broadband Initiative, simultaneously advancing both transportation and digital connectivity infrastructure.