FALMOUTH, Trelawny — Local authorities in Trelawny are accelerating a two-track recovery effort aimed at restoring care for vulnerable residents while allowing schools to return to normal operations, following extensive damage caused by Hurricane Melissa.
Work is now under way to ready the Elleston Wakeland Centre in Falmouth as an interim accommodation space for infirmary residents who have been temporarily sheltered at Hague Primary School. The move is intended to ease pressure on the school ahead of its planned reopening.
According to Mayor of Falmouth, C Junior Gager, urgent roofing works at the Elleston Wakeland Centre commenced midweek and are being fast-tracked. Once structural repairs are complete, the building will undergo full sanitisation to ensure it meets health and safety standards before occupants are relocated.
While residents are expected to move in within days, improvement works on the surrounding compound will continue in parallel to enhance the long-term usability of the facility.
Mayor Gager acknowledged the strain placed on Hague Primary School, noting that municipal leaders are working closely with school administrators to manage competing priorities.
“The reality is that we are dealing with two urgent needs at once — displaced residents who require care, and children who need to return to the classroom,” he said. “Our approach is to resolve both without compromising either.”
Beyond the immediate relocation, a broader solution is already taking shape. The Ministry of Local Government and Community Development has initiated the development of a temporary infirmary on municipal land near Falmouth. That site is also earmarked for a future permanent infirmary, addressing longstanding infrastructure gaps exposed by the storm.
Mayor Gager confirmed that preparatory works have begun, including land clearing and material mobilisation for prefabricated housing units. Following consultations with contractors, municipal officials believe the temporary facility could be operational within weeks, with February targeted as a conservative completion timeline.
“We are pushing for the earliest possible delivery,” Gager said. “This is not just about temporary shelter — it’s about restoring dignity, stability, and continuity of care.”
Hurricane Melissa made landfall on Jamaica’s south-western coast on October 28, 2025, leaving widespread destruction, displacing thousands, and causing billions of dollars in damage across multiple parishes.
