St. Elizabeth storm shelter readiness questioned amid hurricane concerns

Questions are being raised about St. Elizabeth’s readiness for another hurricane or tropical storm, with concerns that residents have not been given a clear account of how the parish plans to address storm-related risks across its constituencies.

In a discussion focused on emergency preparedness, it was argued that there is little public confidence that a structured plan exists for St. Elizabeth. The concern was linked to recent comments attributed to the mayor, who reportedly said he was having “sleepless nights” because the parish was not prepared for another hurricane or even a tropical storm.

The discussion also pointed to the condition of emergency shelters across the parish. The mayor was said to have indicated that more than half of the shelters were unable to receive people. Some were described as still lacking roofs, while others were said to be in such poor condition that they could not properly serve the public in an emergency.

Attention was also drawn to announcements in Parliament about a proposed new city in Black River. However, the discussion noted that residents still had no clear information about the concept, design or scope of that plan.

The National Hurricane Reconstruction and Resilience Authority, referred to as Narda, was also mentioned in relation to priority projects being identified by Cabinet. It was suggested that St. Elizabeth and Westmoreland, described as among the worst-affected areas, would likely be included in that process.