As Hurricane Melissa barrels towards Jamaica with Category Four ferocity, Prime Minister Andrew Holness has issued an urgent appeal for calm, caution, and community responsibility.
Addressing the nation from the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), Holness reaffirmed confidence in the country’s emergency architecture and the strategic deployment of the security forces. “Our forces are not just present—they’re positioned. Their mission is two-fold: protect the public, and uphold their rights. Even in crisis, the rule of law remains intact,” he stated.
Holness, measured but firm, acknowledged that natural disasters often attract opportunism. “There will always be those with no allegiance to the greater good. Our duty is to protect society from them—and protect them from themselves,” he said.
He underscored that national legislation provides the structural support for coordinated responses across key agencies, including the National Works Agency (NWA), National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), and the Jamaica Constabulary Force. This legal framework, he noted, ensures accountability and order in moments of crisis.
The prime minister also made a direct plea to citizens to remain within the confines of their homes. “This is not a time for unnecessary risk. One moment the skies are calm, the next, you’re in the middle of flash flooding. Stay indoors. That’s the best form of protection—for you and for the emergency responders.”
In a broader social call, Holness asked Jamaicans—especially elders and heads of households—to speak directly to the youth, many of whom may never have experienced a hurricane of this magnitude. Activities such as loitering, street football, and even impromptu rain parties, he warned, not only endanger lives but divert emergency resources from critical response efforts.
“This is not the time for thrill-seeking. It’s the time for discipline,” he said.
With Hurricane Melissa’s landfall imminent, Jamaica stands not just at the mercy of the elements, but at a test of national discipline. The government has activated its mechanisms. Now, it’s the people’s move.
