Municipal Committees activated in Jamaica for disaster: Desmond McKenzie

Desmond McKenzie, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development of Jamaica, stated that all the disaster management committees had been activated across the islands. These committees would be responding to the situations of emergency that Hurricane Elsa would pose in Jamaica. Hurricane Elsa has been now in the Eastern part of the Caribbean region.

Desmond McKenzie, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, urged the citizens of Jamaica who live in flood-prone areas to remain updated with the bulletins issued by the Meteorological Service Branch and the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management.

Desmond McKenzie, while speaking in Port Maria on July 1, 2021, said that the citizens should not wait till they have not been affected. The many numbers of lines would be opened by the ODPEM till the next 2 days. The citizens who might be in need of assistance they might call on the given numbers to get information.

Desmond McKenzie, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, ordered all the Municipal Corporations to be in the “state of readiness” and to increase the movement of critical equipment towards the strategic points.

Desmond McKenzie, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, said that he had given instructions that where critical drains have been required to be cleaned, the Municipalities should take the necessary steps to do so and heavy rains had displaced persons in sections of Hanover and the Ministry has been monitoring areas in Bull Bay, St. Andrew, where land slippage had caused destruction. They want to ensure that they did as best as they could to prevent any further loss of lives and to minimize, as best as possible, whatever damage might occur as a result of the system.

Mr McKenzie said that St. Mary had been one of five priority parishes that have given special attention due to regular flooding, and his visit has to ensure that things were in place for emergencies.