Melissa’s lingering damage leaves Jamaica exposed

THE EDITOR, Madam:

With less than two weeks before the start of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season on June 1, many Jamaicans are entering another period of fear and uncertainty instead of preparedness and reassurance.

In sections of Westmoreland, some residents only recently had electricity restored after Hurricane Melissa devastated communities on October 28, 2025. Across western and southern Jamaica, particularly in St Elizabeth and Westmoreland, many families are still living under tarpaulins because their roofs remain unrepaired. Others remain displaced, with no homes to return to.

The condition of emergency shelters is equally troubling. Reports from several communities in St Elizabeth indicate that some shelters are still not structurally ready to safely accommodate residents if another major storm strikes. Many churches and schools designated as shelters remain in ruins. After the trauma of Hurricane Melissa, how can vulnerable citizens trust that adequate protection exists?

Even more concerning is the revelation that most relief funds remain unspent. According to an audit report tabled in Parliament and reported by the Jamaica Gleaner on May 12, 2026, only 1.8 per cent of the $1.44 billion in donations had been spent by February 2026, reportedly due to delays in authorization from the Ministry of Finance. This raises urgent questions: Why are families still under tarps while funds sit idle? Why are shelters unprepared? Why are some Jamaicans still homeless seven months later?

Recovery cannot move at the pace of bureaucracy while citizens endure heat, rain, and uncertainty. Jamaicans and the diaspora gave generously, trusting help would come quickly.

Now, as another hurricane season looms, the country faces unfinished recovery, vulnerable infrastructure, and exposed citizens. The Government and ODPEM must act with urgency, transparency, and decisiveness.

Juvelle Taylor

Caption: The church of Lacovia Tombstone, Jamaica, sits damaged in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa on October 29, 2025. AP