Labour Day House Repair Brings Peace of Mind for Elderly Manchester Resident

Joslyn Chronicle, an 82-year-old resident of New Pond in Mile Gully, Manchester, is a happy man today following renovation of his house in time for the start of the 2026 hurricane season.

Residents of Bushy Park, Green Mount and neighbouring districts, led by Deputy Mayor, Manchester Municipal Corporation, Rohan Kennedy carried out repairs to the modest one-room structure, which was extensively damaged during Hurricane Melissa.

The work undertaken included painting, ceiling and roof reconstruction, and replacing doors and windows.

The house repair was one of two parish projects for Labour Day 2026 for Manchester under the theme ‘One People, One Purpose; In all Things Jamaica Wins’. The other was the rehabilitation of the Ellen Street Community Centre.

Councillor Kennedy told JIS News that Mr. Chronicle’s house sustained major damage from flooding and heavy winds.

“Mr. Chronicle had to be removed from here by his neighbour during Melissa. He spent a few days with him,” he said.

In addition to the house repairs, drainage works will also be done to mitigate flooding. This will involve digging away the embankment to widen the channel and building a retaining wall.

Councillor Kennedy commended the residents who came out to participate in the workday.

He noted that it is a tightly knit community where residents volunteer and help each other, even repairing another house close by recently.

Mr. Chronicle, who watched the work being done from a chair in his yard, told JIS News that during the hurricane, water and debris washed into the house from the hill above.

“I couldn’t step down off the bed. Those stones came straight in,” he said, pointing to a pile of rocks near a banana tree.

“The brother in the shop come and took me out,” he said.

Mr. Chronicle receives a lot of help from the community, telling JIS News that a neighbour cooks his meals from supplies provided by his daughter.

Mr. Chronicle, who said he has survived four strokes, expressed gratitude for the assistance.

“I give thanks and respect to them, down to the ground they walk on. Mr. Kennedy promised that he would be here and he fulfilled his promise. God have it to be so, and respect goes to him,” he said.

Meanwhile, Councillor Kennedy said that preparations are under way for the hurricane season, with the municipal corporation assessing facilities to be used as emergency shelters.

“We are presently finalising preparations for repairs and putting things in place so that they can accommodate [persons] in case anything happens. The community is resilient, comprising mainly farmers, and based on the experience they had [during Hurricane Melissa], preparation is in high gear this year. A lot of things that the community would normally take for granted, the focus is on preparing in whatever way they can,” Councillor Kennedy said.

He informed that drain cleaning is under way and sections of the road to New Pond that are badly damaged will be fixed shortly.