By Anthony Henry

Member of Parliament for Central Westmoreland, Dwayne Vaz, has expressed deep concern following reports of a rape allegation at one of the parish’s emergency shelters, calling for enhanced security and improved living conditions for displaced residents in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.

The hurricane—which ravaged sections of St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Hanover, and St James on Tuesday, October 28—left hundreds of residents homeless and forced many into temporary shelters across western Jamaica.

Vaz, who visited one of the main shelters in his constituency at Petersfield High School on Thursday, said approximately 200 people are being housed there after losing their homes. He noted that while volunteers and community members are doing their best to maintain order, overcrowding and a lack of basic amenities have created difficult conditions.

“The major issues are water, light, and security,” he said. “There is no security here, so we are going to speak with the police force to see how they can accommodate us by sending someone to stay here for most of the time.”

Vaz confirmed that he had been made aware of a rape allegation involving a resident of the shelter, but said the police were still investigating the matter.

“I heard the rumour that there was a rape situation. I have not confirmed it because the police are still doing their investigation,” Vaz explained. “When I came here, I saw police officers at the location and was told they were in a room investigating that same part of it.”

He added that shelter managers were assisting law enforcement with their probe.

“As you see, there are quite a number of persons here… most of these persons would have had their homes devastated. They really have nowhere else to go,” Vaz said. “When you have so many persons in an environment they are not used to, you will have chaos, so it’s good that people are here, but we need more structure and support.”

The MP identified three major concerns at the shelter: a lack of running water, electricity, and security.

Beyond the security concerns, Vaz said efforts are being made to improve conditions for the displaced, including installing water tanks, providing solar lighting, and securing medical support.

“We are going to try to procure a tank and send the water truck to fill it, because people are using river water right now, and that’s a health issue,” he said. “We will also be looking at getting some solar lights to help at night.”

Vaz noted that while other shelters across the parish have reported challenges, the one he visited appeared to have the most serious issues. He said plans are underway to visit all shelters in Central Westmoreland to assess needs and coordinate further assistance.