Holness stresses Petersfield High must reopen January

WESTERN BUREAU:

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness on Saturday told displaced hurricane survivors sheltering at Petersfield High in Westmoreland that the Government is committed to relocating them to better living arrangements even as he stressed that the school must reopen in January.

Addressing residents during a Christmas treat, Holness said he has closely monitored conditions at the facility since the disaster and acknowledged early concerns about hygiene, access to water, food, nutrition and safety.

“There was a point when I was very concerned about the safety of the persons here,” Holness said, noting that while measures were put in place to make their stay as comfortable as possible, a shelter is not a long-term solution.

“No one wants to see you here for any extended period of time, and I am certain that you don’t want to be here longer than you have to,” he told residents.

The prime minister said the Government is now transitioning from relief to recovery, with the reopening of schools marking a key milestone. As a result, residents will need to be relocated from the Petersfield High School by January.

“We must reopen this school from January,” Holness said. “We are going to provide the solutions for you to be relocated from the school. For some persons, we may be able to find a permanent solution right away; and for others, there may be a transition arrangement until a permanent solution is found.”

He appealed for cooperation from residents, urging calm and mutual respect throughout the relocation process.

“I am your servant. I am here to serve you,” he said, adding that the Government’s actions are guided by residents’ best interests.

Holness explained that residents fall into different categories and that solutions are being tailored accordingly. Some elderly residents and others with special vulnerabilities, he said, have nowhere else to go and will require special arrangements. Others may receive assistance to return to previous rental accommodations or to repair damaged homes.

“There are families and able-bodied people for whom this is an opportunity for the Government to offer support for you to [build] up back your house,” he said, encouraging residents to work closely with social workers and officials from the Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

He cautioned, however, that while some residents hope the situation will lead to land allocation or housing, such solutions cannot be guaranteed immediately.

“We are looking into the possibilities,” he said, “but it is not something we would immediately say yes to.”

As part of the Christmas outreach, Holness announced that the Office of the Prime Minister opted not to host its traditional senior citizens’ and children’s treats in Kingston this year. Instead, the events were taken to communities most affected by the disaster, including Petersfield.

Turning to recovery efforts, he said the focus has shifted from distributing relief supplies to rebuilding homes, particularly roof repairs. He explained that while relief was provided without extensive documentation, recovery requires formal assessments and accountability.

Minister of Labour and Social Security Pearnel Charles Jr, he said, is overseeing damage assessments, which include verifying property ownership and household details. Approximately 45,000 households have already been assessed, with an estimated 150,000 homes damaged islandwide, including about 40,000 severely affected.

Grants will be issued at three levels – minor, moderate and severe – to assist with roof repairs, with disbursement expected to begin in early January.

Minister of Local Government and Community Development Desmond McKenzie, who also addressed residents, dismissed rumours circulating on social media that Christmas parties had been banned, clarifying that any restrictions applied only to government events.

mickalia.kington@gleanerjm.com