FALMOUTH, Trelawny — The Government is moving to redesign Jamaica’s emergency shelter network after widespread failures during Hurricane Melissa exposed serious weaknesses in the system.
Minister of Local Government and Community Development Desmond McKenzie has announced an urgent, multi-agency review of shelters nationwide, signalling a shift away from what he described as outdated and unreliable arrangements.
Within weeks, McKenzie will convene a high-level assessment with the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), the Social Development Commission (SDC), and municipal corporations to audit existing shelters and determine which facilities remain viable.
“A significant number of shelters were compromised by Melissa,” the minister said. “With the next hurricane season approaching, we can’t pretend the old system still works. We have to restructure how we do this, not patch it.”
He admitted that shelter conditions during the Category 5 storm ranked among his biggest disappointments as minister, adding that a full reset is now unavoidable.
“We can’t keep repeating the same playbook and expect a different outcome,” McKenzie said. “This is not just maintenance — it’s a redesign.”
Community Centres to Become New Shelters
A key pillar of the new approach will be the conversion of community centres into purpose-built emergency shelters. The SDC has already completed an islandwide survey identifying facilities that can be upgraded to meet disaster standards.
“These centres are embedded in communities and can be modernised into safer, more reliable shelters,” McKenzie said. “That’s now top priority.”
Trelawny Infirmary Rebuild Underway
The minister made the announcement during a site visit to the construction of a temporary Trelawny Infirmary in Falmouth. The original infirmary was evacuated ahead of Hurricane Melissa, with residents first moved to Hague Primary School and later relocated to the Elleston Wakeland Centre.
Groundwork and excavation for the new temporary facility are now well advanced. Residents will remain at Elleston Wakeland until construction is completed.
Schools Cleared, Except Petersfield
McKenzie also confirmed that all schools used as shelters during Hurricane Melissa have now been cleared — with the sole exception of Petersfield High School in Westmoreland.
He stressed that evacuees there are housed in a separate section of the compound and are not mixing with students.
“There is strict separation,” he said. “Normal school operations are not being disrupted.”
Housing Solutions for Displaced Families
Approximately 40 to 50 families remain registered at the Petersfield shelter. The Government, working with Food For the Poor and the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, is developing permanent housing solutions for those families.
The SDC is also providing short-term financial assistance to displaced individuals who have moved into rental accommodations or are staying with relatives. However, McKenzie made it clear that this support is time-bound.
“Government can’t carry rent indefinitely,” he said. “We will support approved cases for up to three months, and then transition people into longer-term solutions.”
National Shelter Recovery Programme Launched
McKenzie’s comments came as the Government formally launched its multi-billion-dollar Hurricane Melissa Shelter Recovery Programme — a coordinated national initiative focused on reconstruction, rehabilitation, and relocation.
Led by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the programme marks the country’s transition from emergency relief to structured recovery. Its mandate includes restoring damaged homes, stabilising affected families, and strengthening communities against future disasters.
“We are not standing still,” McKenzie said. “You will see measurable progress within weeks. This is about building a shelter system that actually holds up when the storm hits.”
