St Elizabeth municipal services resume after Melissa
Published:Saturday | December 13, 2025 | 12:06 AMAlbert Ferguson/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU
Richard Solomon, mayor of Black River and chairman of the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation, says essential municipal services have resumed from the Jeremy Palmer Building in Black River, as the parish continues to recover from the widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.
“The St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation wishes to inform the general public that operations have resumed at our temporary location, which is still 58 High Street, Black River, to the right of what is left of the courthouse,” Solomon said Thursday at the corporation’s final monthly meeting for the 2025 calendar year — its second since the hurricane.
The Jeremy Palmer Building, which is the main meeting place of the StEMC, is now serving as the temporary operational base following the destruction of its administrative offices.
Hurricane Melissa tore through St Elizabeth with powerful winds, torrential rainfall and storm surge, devastating coastal and low-lying communities such as Black River and Parottee, destroying homes and businesses, crippling roads and drainage systems, and wiping out key public infrastructure, including the municipal corporation’s main administrative building.
“After a brief period of adjustment, we are pleased to reaffirm our commitment to providing essential municipal services to the people of St Elizabeth,” Solomon said.
As recovery and rebuilding begin across the parish, the mayor said the corporation is now fully equipped to process critical applications needed by residents and business operators.
“Members of the public are advised that we are fully equipped to accept applications for barber, hairdresser and vendor licences, as well as building and subdivision plans,” he said. “Additionally, applications for burial and amusement licences are once again being processed without undue delay.”
The World Bank, in coordination with the IDB, estimates that Hurricane Melissa caused US$8.8 billion (about J$1.42 trillion) in physical damage to Jamaica. That is equivalent to 41 per cent of the country’s 2024 GDP, making it the costliest hurricane in the nation’s recorded history.
Solomon expressed appreciation to those affected by the disruption caused by the hurricane and the temporary relocation of municipal services.
“We express sincere appreciation to residents, businesses and stakeholders for their patience and understanding during this post-Melissa process,” he said.
“For further details, the public is encouraged to contact the corporation directly. A list of our contacts has been posted on our Instagram account,” Solomon added.
Hurricane Melissa is now regarded as one of the most destructive weather events to hit St Elizabeth in recent memory, reinforcing calls for stronger coastal protection, resilient infrastructure and improved disaster-preparedness planning across the parish.