Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness, is urging citizens to take all necessary precautions in preparation for Hurricane Matthew, which could impact the island as early as Sunday.
Addressing an emergency meeting with heads of agencies at the Office of the Prime Minister, today, Holness said the Government is now on high alert as it prepares for the system, which could pass over the island at a Category 2 status.
Following presentations from the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, National Works Agency, the National Water Commission, the security forces, and other relevant agencies, Holness said he is satisfied that all disaster management measures have been activated.
Acknowledging the potential impact of the hurricane on the country’s economic prospects, the Prime Minister said it is critical that this is mitigated through preparedness.
He urged members of Parliament present to check for blocked gullies and drains in their constituencies and move with alacrity to do necessary cleaning work to avoid potential flooding. He advised that an advanced allocation from the Constituency Development Fund will be made available tomorrow for this purpose.
Meanwhile, Director of the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, Evan Thompson, said the hurricane system is continuing to gain strength as it moves westward over the south-eastern section of the Caribbean basin.
He informed that the system is forecast to continue moving westward into Saturday, when it is to make a dramatic turn towards the north-west. It is expected to pass Jamaica’s eastern coastline from Sunday evening into Monday morning.
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