Positive spirit of Jamaicans to drive recovery post-Beryl

Prime Minister Andrew Holness (third right) greets a resident while touring sections of St Elizabeth the day after the passage of Hurricane Beryl.

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Prime Minister Andrew Holness has commended the resilient and positive spirit displayed by the people of Jamaica in the aftermath of Category 4 Hurricane Beryl.

The hurricane brushed Jamaica with the eye of the storm passing just south of the southern section of the island on Wednesday.

During his tour to assess the damage yesterday, Holness emphasised the importance of collective responsibility and proactive efforts in the recovery process.

In the communities hardest hit by the hurricane, the prime minister said he observed commendable community ethic and high spirits among the residents and despite the displacement and damage, the people of Jamaica have remained optimistic and positive.

“I’m very, very lifted in this community by virtue of just the ethic that has been displayed. Yes, people have been displaced, yes, they have damage, but their spirits are high.

“They are very optimistic. They are very positive, and yes, they’re looking for help from the government, but you get the sense that they are mobilising,” he said. “They are cleaning their roadways, you know, they have started to nail on back their sheets of zinc and they’re taking action, and I think that has to be the spirit.”

Holness noted that the government is committed to swift and comprehensive action, but the recovery will be most effective when it is complemented by the proactive attitude of those impacted.

“But when that [high spirit] is paired with the victim, that has agency, that is someone who has been impacted, but says I’m going to take responsibility and do what I can, then the two things work together for a speedy recovery, and that is the kind of attitude and spirit that I would like to see from the Jamaican people,” Holness added.

The government is prioritising the restoration of essential services, including electricity and utilities. Collaboration with utility companies has been ongoing, and regular updates indicate that efforts to restore services are progressing rapidly.

“The next level of service would be to help people who have been displaced, that they can’t live in their homes and their circumstances are very uncomfortable, we’ll help them to get back on their feet and so we will craft emergency response in that regard.

“And then as I said, to assist the economic engine of these communities to return, so it will be a multifaceted and comprehensive response,” said Holness.

In the meantime, the prime minister is calling on all Jamaicans to continue demonstrating the positive and resilient spirit that has been evident so far.

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