Relief angst
Hundreds desperate for aid as 25 communities still marooned a week after hurricane
Published:Tuesday | November 4, 2025 | 12:11 AMEdmond Campbell/Senior Staff Reporter
Almost a week after Hurricane Melissa delivered a catastrophic blow to sections of southern and western Jamaica, the Government reported yesterday that there are still 25 marooned communities.
As the cry for food, water and other items of need gets louder in communities that remain inaccessible, the administration is unable to give a specific timeline as to when the life-saving supplies will be delivered to those facing the pangs of hunger and in need of other critical packages.
The marooned communities are located in the parishes of Westmoreland, St Elizabeth, St James and Trelawny and one in Hanover.
Speaking during a press briefing at Jamaica House in St Andrew yesterday, Labour and Social Security Minister Pearnel Charles Jr said every effort is being made to get supplies such as food, water and tarpaulin to the persons who are marooned.
“There is no country in the world that could have suffered what we have suffered and respond in one day or one week,” he said.
He said the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) on Sunday went into a number of areas, including Compton in St Elizabeth, Spring Gardens and another in Trelawny, to deliver relief supplies.
Charles said yesterday that relief supplies were airlifted to Darliston in Westmoreland and West Haven in Hanover, where care packages were delivered to 97 disabled children. Additionally, the JDF carried out medical evacuation for three elderly patients with hypertension and diabetes.
Pressed on a timeline for delivering relief packages to the most vulnerable, Charles acknowledged the urgent need to hand over supplies to those desperately in need.
“Let’s appreciate that, because of the circumstances – because this is a situation that you could never truly forecast – it depends on several variables and the duration of completing a drop-off or of delivering packages will depend heavily on the assets and the lift capabilities,” Charles said, adding that weather conditions did not allow for additional airlifts to deliver packages on Sunday.
However, he said every effort is being made by the Government and its partners to ensure that full resources are focused on the people who need it most.
In terms of the proposed spending of billions to carry out recovery efforts, questions were asked about the accountability framework governing this exercise.
Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon, the portfolio minister for information, said Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness will today announce the establishment of a body and its membership to oversee the reconstruction work.
She said discussion has been held with Opposition Leader Mark Golding on whether the National Partnership Council (NPC) could be designated to carry out that oversight role.
The NPC comprises representatives from the private sector, the Opposition, civil society, academia and other stakeholders.