'Even if the worst comes, we will be able to recover' - PM Holness

 

Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness says Jamaica is ready to confront the potential devastation from Hurricane Melissa, even as the powerful Category 5 system moves closer to the island. 

 

At 10 p.m. Monday, Melissa had maximum sustained winds of 280 km/h (175 mph). It was moving slowly toward the northwest near 4 km/h (2 mph). A slow turn toward the north is expected, followed by a turn toward the northeast and a faster forward speed on Tuesday. 

 

On the forecast track, the core of Melissa is expected to move near or over Jamaica by early Tuesday.  

 

There are growing concerns that Jamaica could be left unrecognisable after the storm, with many comparing it to Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, one of the most devastating storms in the country's history. Notable, that storm made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 3 hurricane.  

 

Dr. Holness, who speaking at a special press briefing on Monday, acknowledged that no infrastructure in the region can fully withstand a Category 5 hurricane. 

 

The Prime Minister warned that Hurricane Melissa could damage roofs, compromise concrete structures, scour roads and devastate agriculture and ports.

 

Acknowledging that island bridges could be at risk, Dr. Holness said the government has made extensive preparations to lessen the impact. 

 

"So yes, as it relates to the driving surface, we would be able to recover from that. Where we might have a problem is with the bridges. Thankfully, however, we already have a programme in place which is going through the process to replace 55 bridges. So if any of those 55 that we project to replace were damaged then we would have to accelerate the process to do that. 

 

"In terms of telecommunications and the electricity grid, thankfully we have prepositioned linesmen. I know that JPS has the necessary stock, so we should be able to start rebuilding the network telecommunications. I suspect providers have made provisions and have tried to harden their infrastructure to withstand Category 5," he noted. 

 

Turning to distributive trade in the case the ports are unable to receive shipments, Dr. Holness disclosed that he has been informed by Petrojam that supplies are available to serve the population for up to five weeks or more. 

 

"We have been told by Petrojam...that they do have approximately ten days of supplies of refined products that could carry us after the hurricane has hit. So Category 5 would be a really bad disaster, but what I don't want is for Jamaicans to get into a depression that it would be the end of the world. What I want you to always be is positive in your outlook, and that even if the worst comes, we will be able to recover," he sought to reassure. 

 

Sandy Gully  

 

The Prime Minister also sought to quiet concerns that the accumulation of sediments at the mouth of the Sandy Gully in St. Andrew could cause flooding during the passage of Hurricane Melissa. 

 

He said the National Works Agency has dug two trenches through the mound of sediment to allow for the flow of water. 

 

Dr. Holness said even if there is a significant flow of water through the gully, it is at sea level and would not cause flooding.

 

"The difficulty being that it is over a mile of sediment and therefore the government, we would not have been able to, even with a month's notice, to move that sediment from the gully. So the best effort would have been to clear a path through the sediment. Also, we have taken a strategic approach. I've been informed by the NWA that in terms of cleaning the drains, they are not able to clean the length of all the drains. What they try to do is to clear the entrances for the tributaries into the drains and anywhere that a potential blockage could occur - so close to bridges, where the gully is narrow," he explained. 

 

Meanwhile, Works Minister Robert Morgan said 500 truckloads of silt have been removed from Sandy Gully over the last few days in preparation for a direct hit from Hurricane Melissa. 

 

Mr. Morgan said the emergency mitigation work comes ahead of a planned desilting programme for next year.