The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and the St James Municipal Corporation carried out a massive operation in Catherine Hall and Westgreen on Tuesday, commencing the clean-up of the parish following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, a week ago.

The initiative is aimed at restoring normalcy to communities that have been severely affected by the storm, which made landfall on October 28.

Speaking with JIS News prior to the start of the operation, Executive Director of the NSWMA, Audley Gordon, said the agency is mobilising all available resources to assist the affected communities.

“This is not the end of anything we are doing today. This is the start of something, a process that will go through for several weeks to get the places back to where they were,” he said.

He noted that the clean-up effort involves dozens of tipper trucks, heavy-duty equipment, chainsaw operators, and teams of labourers, who have joined forces with community members to remove debris, silt, and waste from homes and roadways.

Gordon said that the NSWMA is happy to contribute to the effort.

“Today’s work will begin a restoration exercise, and we trust that the weather will hold so that we can have a long day with the residents and begin to bring back some level of normalcy to their lives,” he said, adding that residents also received care packages courtesy of the NSWMA.

Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon, hailed the operation as an important step in the parish’s recovery.

He noted that the heavy rains associated with the hurricane caused flooding in several communities, with residents now left to clean mud and debris from their homes.

“I can understand how they feel, waking up in mud and going to bed in mud. So, we decided to start here in our effort to restore and clean up our beloved municipality,” he said.

Mayor Vernon explained that the clean-up will include the removal of garbage and bulky waste, washing out of homes, and provision of potable water for residents.

He noted that the activity will also help to capture data for damage and needs assessments, which will guide continued relief and restoration efforts.

“This is a start. We will continue to work with the community as closely as possible until they are back at a level of stability,” he assured.

Mayor Vernon extended sympathy to families affected by the storm and pledged that assistance would continue in the days ahead.

“My heart goes out to all the families significantly affected by Melissa. We understand the struggles but help is on the way. We will be doing as best as possible and as much as we can to provide relief and be there in this time of crisis and devastation,” he assured.

The clean-up operation will continue across the city in the coming days, with focus shifting to the Montego Bay city centre later this week as part of wider efforts to reopen and sanitise public spaces.