PM urges early preparations as hurricane season nears
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With the start of the Atlantic hurricane season only days away, Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has urged Jamaicans to begin preparations at once, rather than waiting until a storm threatens the island, to prune trees and clear drains.
Invoking the devastation of Hurricane Melissa as a cautionary tale, Holness warned against complacency and said preparedness must be an immediate priority. He was speaking on Monday (Labour Day) at the Lewis Town Early Childhood Institution in Brompton, St Elizabeth.
“This Labour Day bears a specific importance because it is the Labour Day after Hurricane Melissa, but, in a few more days, it will also be the hurricane season,” said Holness, noting that the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.
During this period, tropical storms and hurricanes are most likely to form in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, affecting Jamaica and the wider region.
With parts of the country still recovering from flooding, damaged homes, blocked roads and displaced families after Melissa, Holness said Labour Day 2026 should serve as a national call to action.
Hurricane Melissa, one of the most destructive to hit Jamaica, battered communities across the island after making landfall on October 28 last year. It damaged infrastructure, uprooted trees, triggered landslides, and left many struggling to rebuild. Families were forced into shelters while farmers and small businesses suffered heavy losses after days of torrential rain and high winds.
Against this backdrop, Holness warned against the habitual delay of preparations until a storm is already imminent.
“Instead of delivering the message (hurricane preparation) in a few more days, I am going to deliver it now for Labour Day,” he said, urging citizens to inspect their homes and surroundings for risks.
“All of you who are still in bed: get up and move around your house,” said Holness. “Check on your generator if you have one; make sure it is working; refuel if necessary. Check on your roof; see whatever little repairs you can do.”
The Lewis Town Early Childhood Institution was one of two National Labour Day projects; the other was Sabina Park in Kingston.
Holness said communities should reduce storm risks urgently by clearing drains, pruning hazardous trees, and securing vulnerable structures ahead of the season.
“Examine the curtilage of your property. Look around your community and see the things that are a threat to your safety and the integrity of your house. Prune your trees and clear culverts and drains,” he said, stressing that such measures should not be left until the last minute. “You see that limb that was hanging before and threatening? Now is a good time to prune it. Don’t do it when the hurricane is coming,”
He added: “Remember, unfortunately, I think we lost about two lives of persons trying to do this pruning of the trees during the hurricane.”