Cabinet cancels Christmas parties across gov't after Hurricane Melissa

Cabinet has ordered the cancellation of Christmas parties across government as recovery following the passage of Hurricane Melissa takes priority.

The decision comes in the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, which struck the western end of the island in October as a Category 5 system, leaving at least 45 people dead and causing hundreds of millions of dollars in damage.

In-house staff recognition events may be held, Information Minister Dr Dana Morris-Dixon announced at a news conference on Wednesday.

“Christmas parties for government entities are off for this year," she said. "We have agreed to allow small in-ministry or in-department recognition and morale-building activities, so if you are doing something in the office itself that is fine, but no rental of external venues is allowed."

The minister said the Government is "strongly encouraging" ministries, departments and agencies to continue outreach activities with members of their teams who have been affected.

At the same time, she said Cabinet is encouraging the private sector to remain mindful of its role in supporting economic activity.

“We are definitely encouraging the private sector to continue doing what they are doing. We have had many reports of hotels saying they are seeing cancellations from private-sector entities. We really do need to make up for what is happening in the west in terms of the downturn in economic activity, so those of us in areas that haven’t been affected as much - please go out, spend money; the economy needs it 0 but at the same time, please spend time doing outreach in the affected areas,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Information Minister disclosed that Cabinet has made roof repairs in affected areas a priority.

She said the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) will be assisted by volunteers from the HEART NSTA Trust, the country's main skills training body, as well as overseas partners.

“You would have heard that there are delegations coming in from various countries that will be helping in that effort. So we have teams coming from Guyana, from Ghana, from Ethiopia and also from Rwanda, and all those teams will be working to repair roofs. They will be doing so in conjunction with the JDF and the HEART NSTA Trust teams. The JDF will only be repairing roofs that are structurally sound,” she said.

Morris-Dixon also said the JDF is looking to engage private construction firms to assist with rebuilding, and that plans are advanced for reconstruction grants to be issued to affected Jamaicans, once assessments are completed, beginning in January.

- Karen Madden

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