Over 300 hurricane-affected residents in the west benefit from civil documentation community hubs

More than 300 residents impacted by Hurricane Melissa have regained access to critical civil documentation following the staging of two Civil Documentation Community Hubs by Project STAR in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, and Salt Spring, St James.

The hubs were designed to provide centralised access to essential government services in one location, allowing residents to register for or replace key documents without the burden of travelling to multiple agencies at a time when many families are still recovering from significant losses.

Services were delivered through a coordinated effort with key government partners, including the Ministry of Labour and Social Security for National Insurance Scheme registration and replacement; the Tax Administration Jamaica for Tax Registration Number services; the National Identification Registration Authority for birth, marriage and death certificates; and the Passport, Immigration and Customs Agency for passport services.

In addition, the Jamaica Constabulary Force Community Safety and Security Branch conducted a community engagement session to identify safety concerns and ongoing challenges, while the National Council for Senior Citizens provided guidance and tailored support to older residents.

Sharise Staines-Appleby, head of programme delivery at Project STAR, underscored that restoring civil documentation is a critical pillar of sustainable recovery.

RESTORING IDENTITY

“Recovery is not just about rebuilding homes. It is about restoring identity, access and opportunity,” Staines-Appleby said. “Without civil documents, individuals face barriers to employment, education, healthcare, social protection programmes, financial services and even travel. By bringing multiple agencies together in one accessible space, we are helping residents regain their legal identity, restore independence and rebuild stability after the hurricane.”

For many residents, the hubs provided immediate and practical relief.

Claire Parchment-Williams of New Market Oval in Savanna-la-Mar attended the hub to update her TRN to reflect her married name and to secure a TRN for her 16-year-old son.

“It is very important to get a TRN because I needed to do business in Jamaica,” she said. “I got it for my son because he needed to do his City and Guilds exam and his CXC exams.”

Now that the documents have been processed, she said both she and her son can move ahead with their plans.

“It’s very, very important for me and for my son to get these documents so that we can finish up whatever we have to do further in life,” she shared, describing Project STAR’s intervention as “excellent” and commending the agencies for continuing to serve communities during a difficult period.

Staines-Appleby said the Civil Documentation Community Hubs form part of Project STAR’s broader recovery support efforts, recognising that legal identity is foundational to resilience.

“Without birth certificates, TRNs, NIS registration, or valid identification, residents are often locked out of critical services and opportunities that are essential to rebuilding their lives,” she pointed out.

She said that by consolidating multiple government services in one location, the initiative significantly reduced logistical and financial burdens on hurricane-affected families, ensuring that recovery extends beyond physical repairs to restoring dignity, access and long-term stability.

“Project STAR continues to work alongside government and community partners to strengthen pathways to recovery and ensure that no resident is left behind,” she added.