Holness urges stronger ODPEM as Jamaica prepares for hurricane season

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness says Jamaica must further build out the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management as the country gets ready for the hurricane season, which starts next week. He made the comments this week at a meeting of the National Disaster Risk Management Council, while also indicating that the Jamaica Defence Force is expected to receive additional equipment for search-and-rescue work.

Holness said recent storms exposed serious gaps in the country’s ability to reach affected communities quickly. Blocked roads, weak communication, transport difficulties and communities that were hard to access all complicated the response after Hurricane Melissa.

The Prime Minister said work has already begun to reshape ODPEM, including an organisational review, new recruitment, upgraded positions, staff welfare measures and planned training. Commander Alvin Gayle has also been appointed to lead the agency.

Holness said ODPEM should now function as Jamaica’s central resilience body, with the capacity to help the country prepare for, endure, respond to and recover from major disasters while keeping essential public services, confidence in government and economic activity intact.

He said the administration is also addressing internal weaknesses at ODPEM while deepening cooperation with the JDF in areas such as logistics, engineering and communications. According to Holness, the Government will soon outline further investments in the JDF’s logistics, transport and operational capacity.

The Prime Minister also said Jamaica must ensure key public buildings, including police and fire stations, remain usable after major weather events. He said Hurricane Beryl and Hurricane Melissa highlighted vulnerabilities among citizens, including people without proper identification and those unable to prove land ownership.

Holness argued that informality makes relief, recovery and reconstruction more difficult, especially when people live in places that are not officially documented. He said a national identification system linked to one database would reduce the need for repeated registration when people seek assistance, cutting errors, duplication and delays.