Prime Minister Andrew Holness says preliminary estimates of damage to road infrastructure across the island following Tropical Storm Rafael stand at $647 million, with approximately $311 million required for road clearance and repairs.

Holness noted that no special allocation has been made for the repairs, as various pools of funds have already been allocated.

Members of Parliament are therefore advised to prudently use these funds to maximise value and impact. “Mr Speaker, I have directed the National Works Agency to accelerate technical assessments, enabling swift government decisions for community access and restoration of infrastructure,” Holness said in parliament.

He also noted that the Ministry of Local Government and the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management are already on the ground providing support to affected residents.

“Mr Speaker, notwithstanding the situation, including the tragic loss of two lives due to the storm, we give thanks to God that we were spared a direct hit, especially as the early indications were for a direct hit from the south. We extend our thoughts and prayers to our neighbouring countries that were also affected. We again acknowledge those Jamaicans who played their part in ensuring that their neighbours were safe, who helped clear blocked roads, and who observed all the warnings and followed the necessary safety protocols when such disasters affect us,” Holness added.

The prime minister also noted that the country’s ageing infrastructure is being overwhelmed by heavy rains and climate change events. He highlighted that waste management poses significant challenges, as garbage and debris continue to accumulate in culverts, exacerbating flooding.

He stressed that disposal habits must improve to prevent unnecessary blockages that worsen flooding conditions.

“As we seek to respond to the impacts of Rafael and the heavy rains, as well as the aftermath of the storm, the government has approved $22 million per constituency for the annual constituency-based mitigation and clean-up programme. Mr Speaker, though this programme is being implemented just before the Yuletide season, let me emphasise that this is not a Christmas work programme,” Holness said.

The prime minister explained that the financial resources are being allocated under the routine maintenance programme, which follows the rain cycle.

“This is a routine initiative, including strict oversight to ensure funds are utilised efficiently for road clearance, drain cleaning, garbage collection, and sanitation. It addresses specific priorities, including reopening blocked roads, cleaning drains, road repairs, and constructing minor retaining walls and culverts where possible under the programme,” he said.

He stated that $10 million will be allocated for road rehabilitation, with flexibility to reallocate up to $5 million from other categories if needed, allowing for a maximum of $15 million for road repairs. Six million dollars will be allocated for bushing, with a minimum allocation of $3 million, but with potential for $3 million to be reallocated from other categories, making a maximum of $9 million. Another $3 million has been allocated for garbage collection, with a maximum of $2 million to be reallocated to other categories. Three million has been allocated for drain cleaning, with a possible reallocation of up to $1 million to other categories.

The programme will be implemented by the National Works Agency and the National Solid Waste Management Authority.