The Government has allocated $10 million to each constituency to facilitate the clean-up of debris left in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.
Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, made the announcement during a statement to the House of Representatives on Tuesday (November 25).
He also informed the House that $150,000 will be allocated to each Councillor in all constituencies.
According to satellite-based analysis conducted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Hurricane Melissa left more than 4.8 million tonnes of debris across the island. The debris is obstructing roads, restricting access to schools, hospitals, farms, and markets, slowing relief distribution, and delaying the restoration of essential services.
The UNDP estimates that the debris is equivalent to approximately 480,000 standard truckloads. This includes 2.1 million tonnes of building and construction material, 1.3 million tonnes of vegetation waste, and 1.4 million tonnes of personal property and mixed household debris.
Giving a breakdown of the allocation for the clean-up, Dr. Holness explained that $2 million will be directed to drain and waterway cleaning and vector control to reduce the spread of pests and disease; $5 million to debushing, and $3 million to debris and waste removal.
"This investment is not only routine seasonal maintenance... it will neatly dovetail into a broader programme of clean-up and debris management. Additional funding will be provided to the 16 most affected constituencies across Westmoreland (three constituencies), Hanover (two constituencies), St. James (five constituencies), Trelawny (two constituencies) and St. Elizabeth (four constituencies)," he stated.
Members of Parliament and Councillors in the targeted areas will receive detailed instructions and guidelines.
Letters confirming allocations and outlining the utilisation process will be issued by Friday of this week.
Beyond the parishes identified, other severely affected communities across the island will also be targeted for clean-up and recovery efforts.
The Prime Minister noted that the programme will employ between 100 and 200 persons in each constituency, with the Social Development Commission (SDC) responsible for overseeing recruitment, training, and the organisation of work teams.
"Our aim is to ensure that all workers are properly documented, are supported to open a bank account [and], where needed, receive basic training in the safe handling and disposal of debris and waste. This is part of a wider effort to formalise labour, strengthen social protection and uphold decent work principles, even during emergency recovery," Dr. Holness said.
The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) will coordinate operational planning and work schedules.
Support will be provided by the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF); the National Spatial Data Unit, which will utilise GIS mapping to tag and track debris; the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development; and the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce.
The Government is also identifying additional temporary disposal sites and pursuing recycling and circular-economy solutions. These include using woodchippers to process vegetative waste into mulch and compost, establishing structured scrap metal recovery, reclaiming reusable construction materials, and partnering with private firms to pilot community-level material sorting.
"These measures are essential to building long-term resilience in waste and debris management. We have also begun securing additional trucks, compactors, bulldozers, and heavy equipment, including through pledged international support," Dr. Holness said.
The Prime Minister pointed out that countries which have faced large-scale disasters - including Japan after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, Indonesia following the 2018 Sulawesi earthquake, and the United States after Hurricane Katrina - implemented debris-to-income programmes in which communities were paid to sort, recycle, and convert debris into usable materials.
"These programmes created temporary jobs, accelerated clean-up, reduced landfill pressure, and strengthened local recycling industries. Jamaica will follow similar best-practice models, ensuring that our clean-up efforts also support livelihoods and stimulate local enterprise," Dr. Holness said.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister emphasised that while the Government is providing resources, equipment, and coordination, the success of the national clean-up effort ultimately depends on the full participation of citizens.
He said that every Jamaican - schools, businesses, community groups, church groups, service clubs, and private households - must join in this campaign to clean up their own space.
"A cleaner Jamaica is not only aesthetically pleasing; it is safer, healthier, more resilient, and more attractive for investment and tourism. The clean-up we begin today contributes directly to our economic recovery, our public health, and our national pride," Dr. Holness stated.
He noted that, given the scale of debris, the clean-up process will take time.
"Initial operations are projected for two to four fortnights, after which we will conduct an assessment and expand interventions as required," Prime Minister Holness said.