The Government's disaster mitigation programme, which intensified at the weekend due to the threat posed by Hurricane Ernesto, will continue in earnest.

During her Cabinet meeting on Monday, Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller gave a charge that the cleaning of drains and gullies should continue apace.

The hurricane season, which ends in November, is expected to reach its peak in September.

Speaking at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House on Monday, Information Minister, Colin Campbell, said the Government had introduced a programme to take photographs before and after the cleaning exercise.

Citizens' cooperation needed

According to Campbell, the Government will be attempting to elicit the cooperation of citizens in keeping the drains and gullies clean.

"We are appealing for the cooperation of the citizens as the Ministry of Works continues the disaster mitigation programme, the cleaning of the critical drains and gullies across the country," he stressed.

The disaster mitigation drive is being carried out by the Ministry of Housing, Transport, Water and Works, along with the rescue and response programmes co-ordinated by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management.