Jamaica’s Opposition Leader Mark Golding has urged Jamaica to rebuild “with transparency, fairness and unity” after Hurricane Melissa devastated parts of the island, cutting off communities, destroying homes and crippling agriculture.
Speaking from Kingston, the People’s National Party (PNP) president told Black Current News that while the capital escaped the worst, western and central parishes were “absolutely devastated”.
Entire communities have been “marooned” after the hurricane, Mr Golding said, with blocked roads, collapsed power lines and no clean water.
“People don’t have electricity or clean water…It’s really a terrible situation,” he said.
The Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) says power has now been restored for roughly 300,000 customers - about 64% of its service base - though many households remain without supply.
Minister Daryl Vaz, who co-chairs Jamaica’s primary recovery and oversight committee, said food, water, and other essential supplies are “being delivered nonstop from sunrise to sunset” to reach those impacted by the hurricane.
Transparency
While emphasising the importance of cross-party unity, Mr Golding also raised concerns about public trust in the relief process.
“There’s a lot of concern that the distribution of relief will not be done in a fair way,” he explained.
“There’s a feeling that government MPs and their supporters will receive preferential treatment. It’s just a perception, but it’s a deep-rooted thing.
He added: “It would be avoided if a mechanism were put in place which had a bipartisan approach and a multi-stakeholder approach to governance, supervision of the receipt and distribution of relief in whatever form the relief is.”
People across the Jamaican diaspora are also calling for greater transparency regarding how relief funds will be spent.
Mr Golding confirmed he has written to Prime Minister Andrew Holness recommending a bipartisan, multi-stakeholder task force involving churches, NGOs, the private sector, and both political parties to oversee relief fairly.
“We’re in a national crisis and need to pull together,” he said.
“I’m hoping they will be inclusive and transparent in the decisions they take going forward.”
Political developments since the interview
Since our interview with Mr Golding, in the days following Hurricane Melissa, the issue of transparency has become a flashpoint.
In Parliament last Friday (7 November), Prime Minister Andrew Holness said the government is updating its official donation platform - supportjamaica.gov.jm - to make contributions more transparent.
He said the changes will allow donors, including those overseas, to direct funds to specific institutions, while the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), the agency responsible for coordinating national disaster response, keeps a full public account of all incoming aid.
On Tuesday (11 November), the Jamaican government also accused the PNP of “refusing to participate” in its proposed Joint Select Committee on Hurricane Melissa, creating the impression that the opposition did not want to cooperate.
The PNP denied this.
A spokesperson clarified that the party rejected the type of committee being proposed, not the idea of oversight itself. They argue that a parliamentary committee would limit wider participation and duplicate existing structures.
The PNP maintains it has been consistent, saying that Mr Golding wrote to the Prime Minister on 29 October, calling for a broad-based national task force - government, opposition, churches, civil society and private sector.
“We proposed a broad-based national task force for unity and accountability, not a parliamentary committee,” a party spokesperson said.
Food security crisis deepens
Mr Golding highlighted that severe losses in Saint Elizabeth will directly affect Jamaica’s food security.
The parish is widely known as the island’s “bread basket” because its farmers produce a large share of Jamaica’s vegetables, fruits and domestic crops.
“Local food is going to be in short supply and the price is going to go up until farmers get back on their feet,” the Opposition Leader told Black Current News.
This has also been addressed by Agriculture Minister Floyd Green, who told Parliament that 41,390 hectares of farmland and 70,000 farmers were affected, causing J$29.5 billion in losses.
Jamaica will now have to import eggs, fruits and vegetables to fill the gaps.
As it stands, some St Elizabeth residents told local media that water has been scarce in the 16 days since Hurricane Melissa.
Some people living in Hanover are reportedly still struggling and told journalists that they feel the government has forgotten them.
Outbreaks of disease from flooding, sewage contamination and breeding grounds for mosquitoes pose a risk to people.
Diaspora support
Mr Golding urged the diaspora to keep supporting relief efforts - and to prioritise cash donations, where possible, while working through trusted organisations.
“If they can give some cash, they should, whether it’s a remittance to relatives in need or to a reputable charity,” he said.
With funds, organisations can “buy food in the supermarkets and wholesalers, transport them to the areas of need and distribute them”.
“Shipping things takes much longer which is a challenge,” he added. “The needs right now are food, water and shelter…Cash donations are the quickest way.”
A message to Jamaicans overseas
While Jamaica prepares to access roughly US$150 million in catastrophe-insurance funds, Mr Golding said fairness and accountability must guide the rebuild.
“People are anxious for help,” he warned.
“Every hour that passes and they’re not seeing support, they’re going to get more frustrated and angry.”
His closing words were for the diaspora: “To our Jamaicans abroad and our people of Jamaican heritage - nuff love. We’re grateful for the way you keep Jamaica in your hearts and manifest that through tangible expressions of love. We need your support at this time.”
Black Current News has approached the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM, Jamaica) for comment.
This story is part of Black Current News’ ongoing coverage of recovery and resilience after Hurricane Melissa.
Read our full “How You Can Help” roundup for fundraisers, donation drives and community efforts supporting families across Jamaica and the wider Caribbean: blackcurrentnews.co.uk/p/hurricane-melissa-how-can-we-help
