With forecasts warning of a hyperactive hurricane season, the Government of Jamaica has launched an aggressive pre-season preparedness campaign backed by over $800 million in strategic funding.
Minister of Works Robert Morgan announced the sweeping initiative in Parliament, emphasizing that the country is acting with urgency following last year’s destructive encounters with Hurricane Beryl, Tropical Storm Rafael, and widespread flood events.
“We’re not waiting for disaster — we’re moving ahead of it,” Morgan said, referencing the expected formation of 19 named storms, nine hurricanes, and at least four major hurricanes between June 1 and November 30.
This year’s funding represents a substantial leap from previous allocations. Constituency-level spending alone will rise to $172 million — nearly doubling the average disbursement to each region. Major infrastructure investments include:
- $300 million for critical rehabilitation of the Sandy Gully in Kingston & St. Andrew
- $100 million directed at North and South Gully works in Montego Bay
- $60 million combined for drainage and reinforcement works in Bog Walk Gorge and Dyke Road, St Catherine
- $200 million targeted at South Coast mitigation zones long plagued by recurrent flooding
“These aren’t generic upgrades — they’re tactical interventions where the risk is highest,” Morgan stated.
The National Works Agency (NWA) will spearhead the response efforts, having already begun mobilizing contractors, mapping critical response zones, and correcting communication gaps that hindered rapid deployment in the past.
Morgan urged cross-party cooperation, warning that unpreparedness is not an option. “This is not just about drains and dollars. It’s about lives, livelihoods, and learning from the past.”
With the United States’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) set to release its 2025 forecast later this week, Jamaica is positioning itself as ready — not reactive.
The new approach reflects a broader shift in disaster strategy: mitigate early, mobilize faster, and protect the most vulnerable before storms arrive.
