标签： Jamaica

ST JAMES, Jamaica — Leroy Reid, Director of Customer Solutions at the Jamaica Public Service (JPS), has announced that the company is undertaking comprehensive damage assessments across the island following the severe impact of Hurricane Melissa on the electricity grid. Speaking after an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) meeting at the St James Municipal Corporation on Friday, Reid highlighted the significant damage sustained by both the transmission and distribution networks.

JPS teams, supported by the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF), are conducting aerial and ground patrols to evaluate the extent of the destruction. Reid emphasized the need for patience, stating, ‘The damage assessment will take some time. Once completed, we will develop a restoration strategy and communicate timelines.’

In preparation for the hurricane season, JPS secured additional manpower, including approximately 70 overseas line workers from the Caribbean and beyond, to bolster restoration efforts. Reid also mentioned plans to bring in more resources, such as skilled personnel and equipment, via air or sea.

Addressing concerns about marooned communities where JPS infrastructure may block roadways, Reid assured that these issues would be prioritized at the Incident Command Centre. However, he cautioned against dispersing resources too widely, which could hinder emergency response efficiency.

Reid urged Jamaicans to exercise caution during post-hurricane recovery, reminding them of the compromised public health infrastructure. ‘Stop, think, and assess before you act. Your families need you to be well,’ he implored.

Reiterating JPS’s commitment to swift and safe restoration, Reid concluded, ‘Be safe, be patient. We are working as quickly as we can to restore Jamaica. Thank you for your support.’

— JIS

Motorists passing through St Elizabeth, Jamaica, are often taken aback when they first meet Roy Hutchinson, a tire repair specialist. What makes Hutchinson remarkable is that he is a double amputee confined to a wheelchair. Despite losing both legs due to poor circulation, the 60-year-old remains undeterred by his physical limitations. Last Friday, Hutchinson swiftly assisted the Jamaica Observer team when their vehicle suffered a flat tire while en route to cover the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa in St Elizabeth and Westmoreland. Hutchinson, a resident of Rocky Hill, St Elizabeth, has been managing the tire shop since November last year, taking over from his brother who migrated to the United States. ‘I plug a tire, take off a tire the same way. I change a tire on the machine inside the shop in the same way. I only need someone to push me around,’ Hutchinson explained, noting that he has a daily assistant. Previously a school bus driver for Hampton and Munroe students, Hutchinson lost his legs gradually—one five years ago and the other last year. Remarkably, he felt no pain during the amputations. Despite the challenges posed by Hurricane Melissa, Hutchinson’s business has thrived as locals seek his services. ‘Yesterday [Thursday], I patched about four tires with nails. So basically, I knew that people would come today to plug tires, so I came out,’ he said. Hutchinson has appealed for support to acquire a battery drill and a tire-changing machine to enhance his efficiency. His partner, Michelle Golding, assists him daily, pushing him to and from the shop. Like many in the parish, Hutchinson is rebuilding after the hurricane damaged homes and electricity poles, leaving many without power. ‘I have the front there to fix back. I have to go buy some zinc nails and zinc to put it back on,’ he said, pointing to his shop. Hutchinson also faces the loss of perishable goods due to the power outage, adding to his financial strain. ‘I don’t really have any savings. I have some chicken in the fridge right now which I am going to lose. It’s a great loss for me again,’ he lamented.

In the aftermath of the devastating Category Five Hurricane Melissa, which caused significant destruction in western Jamaica, Education Minister Dana Morris Dixon has announced comprehensive measures to address the anticipated learning loss among students. Speaking to Observer Online following a special media briefing on Monday, Minister Dixon revealed that the Ministry of Education is actively considering extending educational support beyond the standard school term. This includes organizing holiday camps and potentially extending programs into the summer to help students regain their academic footing.

Despite public concerns over the swift reopening of 136 schools less than a week after the hurricane, Minister Dixon emphasized that the process was carefully managed, prioritizing the well-being of students and staff. Many schools reopened primarily for staff to attend counseling sessions and discuss their experiences post-hurricane. For schools that welcomed students, the focus was on providing psychosocial support.

To assist affected students, the ministry is assembling kits in collaboration with guidance counselors and schools for distribution. Additionally, the ministry is exploring various solutions to rebuild and maintain learning in areas where schools were destroyed. Options under consideration include setting up temporary tents, relocating students to other schools, and providing learning materials for home use on specific days.

Minister Dixon also highlighted the ministry’s partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to develop effective recovery strategies. Drawing on UNICEF’s global experience in disaster recovery and education system rehabilitation, the collaboration aims to ensure the welfare of children and their access to essential education.

‘We’re going to figure it out. We’re going to have to be flexible because the key thing is the welfare of our children and getting our children to get the education that they desperately need so that they can take off in this world,’ Minister Dixon concluded.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm that devastated Belmont, Westmoreland, three helicopters brought much-needed relief supplies to the community on Sunday. The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) provided two of the helicopters, while the third was dispatched by World Central Kitchen, delivering essential food items. The helicopters landed at Belmont Academy, a central location between Whitehouse and Bluefields, offering a beacon of hope to residents left homeless by the disaster.

Keisha Rowe, a local resident and employee at Belmont Academy, expressed her gratitude for the timely assistance. ‘We are happy for the help, and there is more to come. Many people here don’t have anywhere to live. A lot of people are homeless, so we are glad for the help, and I am happy that it came fast enough,’ she said.

Wayne Smith, a visually impaired man, shared his harrowing experience, noting that his house had lost its roof, forcing him and his wife to seek shelter elsewhere. ‘It’s real critical, it’s not normal…I am not speaking for myself alone, because I can’t move about like that, but I still have to try to bounce around,’ he explained. Smith, like many others, had been listening for the sound of helicopters, hoping for the arrival of supplies. ‘Today we heard the helicopter, and I said, ‘I am going up there,’ and when I went, I got through right away—flour, rice, sugar, everything in there,’ he recounted.

Carly Wilson, a visitor from Missouri, USA, whose husband is from Belmont, described the emotional toll of witnessing the community’s struggles. ‘This is a very emotional experience, seeing everybody struggle. The people desperately need help,’ she said. Wilson has been actively coordinating with donor organizations to bring additional aid to the area. She highlighted the immediate need for drinking water, as burst pipes have contaminated the local water supply. ‘Unfortunately, there is no drinking water in these combo packs. We need drinking water in this community as soon as possible,’ she emphasized.

The relief efforts have brought smiles to many, including five-year-old Travis Miller and Belmont resident Nickashai Samuels, who, along with her partner Rodney Walker and their one-year-old son Duke, received care packages from the JDF helicopters. The community remains hopeful as more organizations commit to joining the relief distribution efforts.

In the aftermath of the catastrophic Category Five Hurricane Melissa, which struck Jamaica last Tuesday, the community of Brompton in St Elizabeth remains in dire straits. Over the weekend, the resilience of the youngest residents was on full display as children took to the streets, pleading for assistance from passing motorists. Armed with handmade placards bearing messages such as ‘We need food and water, anything helps,’ these young survivors highlighted the urgent needs of their devastated neighborhood. Brompton, among the hardest-hit areas, has been left in ruins by the storm’s ferocity. Despite the overwhelming destruction, a glimmer of hope emerged as compassionate drivers halted to distribute vital supplies, including food, bottled water, and soap, offering a small but significant reprieve to the struggling community.

The aftermath of Hurricane Melissa’s destructive path through western Jamaica has left the residents of Westmoreland grappling with profound devastation. The storm, which struck last Tuesday, has reduced homes to rubble, wiped out livestock, and left many communities, such as McAlpine, in dire straits. Families have endured days without adequate meals, and the scarcity of essential supplies in nearby Whitehouse has exacerbated the crisis. In the face of these overwhelming challenges, the community has banded together, relying on mutual support and resilience to navigate this harrowing period. The full extent of the damage and the ongoing struggles of the affected population can be seen in the accompanying video.

As Hurricane Melissa ravaged Jamaica with winds reaching 185 miles per hour, Vera Brown, a 65-year-old single mother, faced the storm with unwavering determination. Her four adult children, all wheelchair-bound due to an undiagnosed condition, relied on her strength and prayers as the Category 5 hurricane tore through their home in Royal Palm, St Ann. Despite the roof being partially ripped off and the surrounding houses flattened, Brown remained grateful that her family was safe. ‘You can rebuild a roof, but you can’t get back a life,’ she told the Jamaica Observer, emphasizing her priority: her children’s survival. Brown, who suffers from chronic back pain, single-handedly carried her children to safety, a testament to her resilience. Her daughter, Norneth Jarrett, recounted the fear and trauma of the storm, highlighting their vulnerability as a family with physical challenges. The hurricane claimed 19 lives in Jamaica, and the family now appeals for assistance to repair their home and replace lost essentials. Despite their hardships, they remain thankful for their survival, attributing it to divine mercy.