DIGNITY MATTERS
Gov’t shifts from mass handouts to coupons, cards as Holness stresses need for decency in delivery of relief supplies
Published:Saturday | November 29, 2025 | 12:09 AMMickalia Kington/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has renewed his call for dignity to be placed at the centre of Jamaica’s hurricane recovery efforts, urging that assistance to affected residents be delivered in ways that uphold their pride and self-worth.
Speaking at a ceremony for the opening of a rebuilt police station in Little London, Westmoreland, he said the Government has already shifted its disaster-relief approach from mass handout packages to coupons and cards to help protect recipients’ dignity.
“Everybody is giving out a package … . I am concerned about the dignity of our people,” Holness said. “Keep that quietly … . Help the people who are in distress preserve their dignity.”
He added that he was troubled by images of Jamaicans rushing for care packages and urged both relief groups and residents to maintain their sense of dignity during recovery.
Against that backdrop, Friday also marked a major milestone for Westmoreland, where the newly rebuilt Little London Police Station officially opened its doors, returning a critical facility to a community still reeling from Hurricane Melissa’s devastation. The station had been destroyed by fire several years ago, forcing officers to operate out of a small rented building until now.
Holness highlighted the significance of the station for both law enforcement and community resilience.
“This police station … will be brought into the service of the people now, not just for their work, but also for the recovery process,” he said.
The station was conceptualised in 2017 as part of a partnership programme between the National Housing Trust (NHT) and the Ministry of National Security.
Turning to rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Melissa, Holness urged residents to use proper building strategies and materials for future natural disaster resiliency.
“A Category 5 hurricane is likely to destroy many roofs, but the impact can be reduced if when you are building, you utilise not just the available material but the available construction knowledge that is tested, tried and proven – proper roof design, all of these are things that you can do,” he said.
Meanwhile, National Security State Minister Juliet Cuthbert Flynn praised the dedication of police officers who remained on duty during Hurricane Melissa, despite personal losses.
“Some were serving from stations covered by tarpaulin without electricity and with damaged roofs overhead, but still provided that critical police service to the public. That is commitment, sacrifice, and service above self,” she said.
The AIR Plan (Accelerated Infrastructure Restoration) was implemented to quickly restore police facilities, with Westmoreland among the hardest-hit parishes.
Cuthbert Flynn said, “A police station must be a place of refuge, a centre of stability in moments of crisis. It must be equipped to withstand even a Category 5 [hurricane] and remain operational so that the police, the public can depend on it through the most challenging of times.”
Two of the stations restored under the AIR Plan are Little London and Frome.
Westmoreland now has two of the six new police stations commissioned in 2025.
Additionally, Karina Powell-Hood, the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) in charge of force development and logistics, noted that the Little London Station is not only modern but forward-looking, with solar power and rainwater harvesting systems.
She also pointed to tangible results in crime reduction.
“At this point in time, we’re experiencing a 59 per cent reduction in murders. We are experiencing 45 per cent reduction in shootings and an overall 46 per cent reduction in major crimes,” she noted.
Powell-Hood emphasised the importance of partnership and community support, saying, “The station symbolises the country’s collective commitment to safe and resilient communities – a renewed pledge of safety, stability, and partnership for residents.”
The prime minister also addressed Westmoreland’s unique land settlement situation, where many residents build homes on stilts due to temporary or informal land arrangements.
“We are now using this opportunity to see how best we can regularise many of the persons who have been occupying lands informally … . It is an opportunity to bring structure, to bring permanence and to look at the plight of many citizens who have not had the benefit of land security,” Holness said, also announcing plans to scale up the systematic land titling programme under the National Land Agency.