Portmore mayor leads second hurricane relief drive out west

The Portmore City Municipality on Sunday delivered another batch of relief supplies to communities devastated by Hurricane Melissa, making its second trip to western Jamaica.

This time the aid went to Roaring River, a farming community in central Westmoreland left in ruins by the record Category 5 storm. A week earlier, supplies had been distributed in Haughton Court and surrounding communities in western Hanover.

Portmore Mayor Leon Thomas led a 40-member delegation of volunteers, including Deputy Mayor Alrick Campbell and councillors Kenord Grant of the Bridgeport Division and Anthony Wint of the Braeton Division.

Saddened by the scale of destruction, Thomas deployed a chainsaw team to clear a fallen tree blocking the road into the community, allowing access to hurricane-stricken residents.

“We researched the community and we found out that they were in bad shape – some houses completely destroyed and several with roofs severed from the main structure – so we were overcome with compassion,” he said.

More than 1,000 food packages were distributed, along with water, shoes, clothing, sheet sets, toys for children, sanitary napkins and a bed.

“The need was great. It’s a poor community and their means of survival, which is farming, was totally wiped out,” Thomas said, appealing for speedy assistance to residents.

Among the beneficiaries was 30-year-old Kasia Neil, a single mother of a one-year-old, who said the support came at a critical time.

“My house is beyond repair at this point. There is nothing left, no shelter for me and my one-year-old. Given the fact that I am not currently employed, it’s really hard to cope with everything that is going on right now,” Neil said.

She noted that relief supplies have been arriving inconsistently, leaving many residents in limbo. “However, I must say that we are beyond grateful for the folk from Portmore who saw the need to help us,” she said.

Neil stressed the urgent need for construction materials, adding that many families remain exposed to the elements. She also called for stronger support for small business owners to help restore livelihoods.

Donald Hibbert, who lost three board houses, echoed the plea for building supplies. “While I will say this is the most relief I have seen distributed in one day, relief came in but not all of us could get because it was limited. But the people from Portmore have everything – shoes, blankets, clothes and foodstuff – and everybody got something to take home,” he said.

Roaring River farmer Curtis Blake, who lost all his crops, described the hurricane’s impact as catastrophic. “The hurricane treat me bad. It ruined my mother’s house and mine, plus mi bredda and sister same way,” he said.

“Bowy it rough. If Portmore never do this we would suffer even more, so we give thanks for the energy that they come with.”

Blake said rebuilding supplies are the community’s greatest need – specifically zinc sheets, ply board and nails.

Mother of four Monique Tate was direct about her needs. “Give us zinc, ply and nails and we will help ourselves,” she told The Gleaner.

Daphine Green, 70, fought back tears as she described her hardship.

“I have nothing at all, nowhere to live. I have to just kotching with neighbours, and it’s me and my two grandchildren. We have nothing, everything gone. So we thank Portmore because we get some foodstuff and I even get a bed, which is so good because I have no bed,” she said.

Member of Parliament for Central Westmoreland Dwayne Vaz, who joined in the distribution exercise, welcomed the support, noting that more than 98 per cent of houses in the area were significantly damaged.

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