Hurricane relief audit shows 1.8% of Melissa donations spent as mayor warns on road funding

An audit by Auditor General Pamela Monroe Ellis has found that Jamaica has used only a small share of money donated for hurricane recovery, even as another storm season approaches.

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, which operates under the Office of the Prime Minister, had spent just $26 million of the $1.44 billion raised for Hurricane Melissa through the Support Jamaica campaign and other contributions as of February. That figure represents about 1.8 per cent of the total. The report also states that millions of Jamaican dollars, along with more than US$100,000 donated after Hurricane Beryl, remain unspent.

The findings have sharpened debate over why many storm-affected residents still live in damaged housing months after the disasters. ODPM has said spending has been held up by the need for Ministry of Finance approval to access and use the funds. Commentators on Thursday's broadcast called for a clear paper trail on what was requested, what blocked disbursement, and how officials will balance speed with accountability and anti-corruption safeguards.

Separately, Kingston Mayor Andrew Swaby used Tuesday's Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation meeting to question whether a single national road authority will fix chronic underfunding at the local level. He pushed back on comments by Minister with responsibility for works Robert Morgan that the KSMC maintains about 70 per cent of corporate-area roads while the National Works Agency handles the rest. Swaby said the corporation receives an average of about $85 million per month from the parochial revenue fund for road maintenance, an amount he said is far short of what repairs require. He acknowledged weaknesses in local road upkeep but argued the main barrier is inadequate resources.

In sport, organisers of the Popeye's Challenge Cup held a live round-two draw. Matchups are Reno FC against Falmouth United, Sts Elite against Lime Hall FC, Humble Lion against Medford FC, and Roaring River FC against Duncan's United. Seven teams advanced from round one and were joined by Humble Lion as the fourth-ranked Jamaica Football Championship side. Round-two fixtures are scheduled for next Tuesday, with CVM set to televise another double header from Drax Hall Sports Complex.