Black River recovery advances, but challenges remain

WESTERN BUREAU:

Richard Solomon, chairman of the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation and mayor of Black River, says the historic town is steadily recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, though critical gaps in infrastructure, planning and service delivery remain.

Solomon noted that the parish has completed its initial clean-up phase but is awaiting guidance from central government and the establishment of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA). The new body is expected to bring greater coordination and speed to the complex, multi-sectoral recovery effort.

“We are awaiting NaRRA for the next phase,” Solomon explained, adding that while significant clearing and stabilisation work has been done, long-term rebuilding plans are still being finalised.

The Category 5 storm left deep scars on Black River. Storm surge and relentless rainfall transformed sections of the town into flood zones, damaging homes, businesses and critical infrastructure.

Coastal communities such as Parottee were among the hardest hit, with surging seas eroding shorelines, washing away graves and displacing families. In the town centre, floodwaters overwhelmed drainage systems, leaving behind debris and silt that disrupted commerce and daily life.

Across St Elizabeth, essential services were crippled. Water supply became erratic, with some residents receiving piped water only once per week. Electricity outages lingered for months in areas such as New Market and Ginger Hill, while damage to boats and coastal infrastructure disrupted fishing and small-scale economic activity.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness underscored the historical significance of Black River and the extensive damage it sustained. In his recent Budget Debate in Parliament, he announced plans for a complete redevelopment of the town using climate-resilient strategies.

“We will not rebuild Black River as it was. We will rebuild it as it should be,” Holness declared. The Urban Development Corporation, in collaboration with development partners, is advancing a climate-smart plan anchored around a new inland urban centre situated above storm-surge levels and projected sea-level rise.

This precinct will consolidate essential public functions — including the hospital, courthouse, municipal offices, police station, schools, market and transport hub—into a walkable, flood-safe zone. Buildings will be designed to withstand Category Five winds, while utility corridors, drainage systems and emergency redundancies will be integrated.

The waterfront will also be reimagined with a multi-layered coastal defence system comprising submerged offshore breakwaters, a concrete seawall with a public boardwalk, and engineered revetments along vulnerable stretches. Entertainment spaces and tourism expansion are also part of the vision.

EXCLUDED

Meanwhile, Councillor Everton Fisher of the Balaclava Division, a former mayor, says the parish council has been largely excluded from discussions about Black River’s redevelopment.

“As a local government practitioner, I have not had the privilege of sitting in any meeting with any agency or government body to say how we are going to rebuild or to assess what transpired,” Fisher said. He served as mayor of Black River from 2012 to 2016. “We have heard the prime minister speak about the possibility of a new city, but there has been no structured consultation with the parish council.”

LEFT IN THE DARK

He stressed that the absence of engagement has left councillors “in the dark” at a critical stage of recovery planning. “This is not a party (Jamaica Labour Party) matter. The council should at least be consulted on the plans going forward,” he added.

Fisher also pointed to confusion in the early stages of damage assessment, citing overlap between soldiers and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. Many residents, he said, are still awaiting confirmation of support under the Government’s housing repair initiative.

“A lot of persons are still saying that after their homes were damaged, they have not received any communication from the Ministry of Labour to say they are beneficiaries under the ROOFS programme,” he noted.

He warned that uncertainty is being compounded by legislative delays.

“We are hearing about the National Resilience and Redevelopment Agency and the redevelopment of Black River, but that bill has not even been passed yet. It is facing pushback in the House of Representatives, so we don’t know when it will become law,” Fisher said.

With the Atlantic hurricane season approaching, Solomon said the municipality has begun preparedness activities, including shelter inspections and the identification of alternative emergency sites.

“We were badly impacted and we don’t have all the necessary structures and support systems in place, but we’re working on that,” he said. Some shelters remain damaged, prompting efforts to secure more resilient emergency locations.

Reflecting on the lessons of Hurricane Melissa, Solomon emphasised the importance of balancing urgency with proper planning.

“We would have learned a lot… and combining those lessons, we should be stronger going forward,” he said.

Fisher, however, warned that worsening weather conditions are deepening the crisis across the parish.

“The livelihood of the parish is getting weaker and weaker. Heavy rains and flooding are affecting farming and people don’t know what the future holds,” he said, calling for urgent national intervention.

“I believe the prime minister and the Government need to take a special look at this parish. St Elizabeth, along with Westmoreland and Trelawny, should be declared disaster areas at this time. People are in very bad shape,” Fisher urged.

albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com