Chairman of the St. James Municipal Corporation and Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Homer Davis says the parish of St. James is well prepared to handle any challenge pose by the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane season which runs from June 1 to November 30.
Mayor Davis said all systems have been activated and will continue to be in a state of readiness, even as the parish continues its fight to contain the spread of the Coronavirus, COVID-19.
“Based on the projections from the National Meteorological Office (MET Office) of Jamaica, this year’s hurricane season is expected to be a very active one. As a Municipality, we have always been prepared for the hurricane season and a major part of our preparation is to ensure that all our 63 hurricane shelters across the parish are properly checked and the necessary managers are identified for these facilities. This aspect of the preparation is already completed and we are moving forward with other coordination measures as we await what the season has to offer”, Mayor Davis said.
He added that with the fight to contain the spread of COVID-19 still being maintained, adjustments have been made to accommodate COVID-19 protocols and any challenge with the hurricane season may pose to persons infected by the virus who must be moved into emergency shelters.
Mayor Davis said “this year there will be a different approach as it relates to our shelters…this as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A part of what we are doing at these shelters is to ensure that social distance protocols are observed which will result in the occupation of more space …for example if a shelter is at a school, in addition to using one big auditorium, we may have to expand to several classrooms. The Technical team from the St. James Municipal Corporation has been mapping these shelters to ensure that we have the required space and so far so good.”
He pointed out that the Ministry of Health and Wellness is part of the team assisting with the preparation of these shelters as they will be setting up quarantine areas just in case, they are required for COVID-19 patients.
Mayor Davis said “we will be undertaking sanitization of these shelters before, during and after they are used. The Municipal Corporation is also procuring masks, gloves and other necessary products and equipment to ensure that the effects of the hurricane season are minimal. We are also is dialogue with suppliers of food and other basic necessities to ensure that there are no challenges in that area”.
Meanwhile, Mayor Davis is reporting that the on-going drain cleaning programme carried out by Councillors has been ramped up with critical drains being cleaned in all 17 Divisions, adding that Members of Parliament have also been undertaking their own flood mitigation projects.
“The north and south gullies here in Montego Bay will be given full attention and we will be making representations to the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development and the National Works Agency for additional funding to be used in cleaning and maintaining these two major drains. I must appeal to our citizens to refrain from dumping bulky waste into these gullies as this practice will only result in the drains being blocked and homes and other buildings being flooded”, Mayor Davis opined.