St James Health Department ready for 2025 hurricane season

WESTERN BUREAU:

Lennox Wallace, parish manager of the St James Health Department, says that despite lingering concerns about the drainage system in and around Montego Bay, the department is in an advanced stage of readiness for the 2025 hurricane seasons, which started on June 1.

Wallace told The Gleaner that his administration has spoken with the leadership of the St James Municipal Corporation [StJMC] as part of the effort to ensure that major drains and waterways, such as the North Gully, in downtown Montego Bay, are clear for the free movement of water.

“We are ready, and we are collaborating with the parish council [StJMC], because you know that there is always a drain cleaning problem, so we are collaborating with them on that. But for the health department, we are about 98 per cent ready, because there are 60 shelters in the parish, of which 58 are satisfactory,” said Wallace.

“We have impressed upon the municipal corporation to do the drains, and we are expecting good things from the corporation this time around. I will impress upon the mayor to ensure that, in particular, the North Gully and other drains are kept clear, not only for the free movement of water, but because mosquito breeding increases when the drains are not properly cleaned,” added Wallace.

LONG HISTORY OF FLOODING

The concern about Montego Bay’s drainage system is understandable, following the city’s long history of flooding, which dates back to as far as 1979. The flooding is often blamed on blocked drains due to improper garbage disposal.

In November 2017, heavy rains resulted in flood damage to roads and houses in Montego Bay, with parts of the downtown district covered in mud in the aftermath. A few months later, in March 2018, the city again experienced flooding in the downtown district and along the corridor near the Sangster International Airport.

In November 2021, heavy rains triggered flooding in communities including Salt Spring, Green Pond, and Cornwall Courts, with that flooding being blamed on improperly disposed food grease which had blocked Montego Bay’s drainage system. Less than three years after, on August 31, 2024, the John’s Hall community was flooded when a river in the area overflowed its banks during a downpour.

Wallace noted that while disaster preparation should have been done prior to the start of the hurricane season on June 1, he is confident that the health department will do its part in the event of a disaster-based emergency.

“We are actually in the hurricane season now, so we should not be preparing for something that we are now in the season for, as we are supposed to have done that already. But we at the health department are doing what we have to do,” said Wallace.

When contacted about the state of readiness of the StJMC, Montego Bay’s Mayor Richard Vernon said that a press conference will be held soon to give a detailed outline of the municipal corporation’s plans for the hurricane season.