Catherine Hall a priority recovery zone, says Chang

**Catherine Hall Declared Priority Zone as Residents Demand Faster Hurricane Melissa Recovery**

WESTERN BUREAU: In Catherine Hall, where the air is still thick with the scent of rotting debris, residents gathered under a large white tent on Wednesday to demand faster government action. They say the ongoing recovery from Hurricane Melissa remains painfully slow.

Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Horace Chang offered a significant update during the meeting, announcing that Catherine Hall has now been elevated to a Government priority zone for post-Melissa recovery. Technical teams, he said, have been ordered to remain in the community until critical clean-up and restoration work is completed.

> “This is now a priority zone,” Chang told the gathering. “We are going to clean up Catherine Hall and restore essential services. Teams are staying here until the work is done.”

Chang explained that while response agencies had been active in the constituency since the day after the storm, the scale of destruction across western Jamaica initially overwhelmed government assessment teams. This forced authorities to triage communities based on the severity of the impact.

> “This is an urban community,” he noted. “But when entire areas between Central and Bristol were wiped out, we had to prioritise places where every house was gone. We are asking for your patience. The Government will ensure that the people are supported.”

### Calls for Disaster Zone Status and Military Support

Residents pressed Dr. Chang to clarify whether Catherine Hall would be formally declared a disaster zone and whether there would be increased presence from the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) to help reopen access routes and remove mounting debris.

> “The army is active. The police force is fully deployed. We have called up the full reserves,” he said, noting that the JDF has been assisting with evacuation and recovery in the worst-affected zones.

He highlighted communities like Whitehouse—where, as he put it, “no building is standing”—to underscore the widespread devastation across western Jamaica.

### MP Urges Patience and Highlights Strain on Resources

St. James West Central Member of Parliament (MP) Marlene Malahoo Forte also addressed residents, acknowledging their frustration but urging understanding. She explained that Hurricane Melissa’s winds created destruction far beyond what existing systems were designed to handle.

> “If I hadn’t gone on the road from early, I wouldn’t realise the extent of the downed lines and the level of damage,” Malahoo Forte said.

While she commended the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) for its efforts to restore electricity, Malahoo Forte criticised persistent lapses in maintenance which made recovery even harder.

> “Maintenance of the lines has fallen year after year. Debris has been left on the lines. But the force of the winds was unprecedented, so it is hard to compare.”

### Call for Structured Garbage Collection

The MP called for an organised garbage-collection schedule, noting that the solid waste disposal system already struggles during normal times and is now overwhelmed by the sheer volume of hurricane debris.

> “The public-health implications are great,” she warned. “It is reasonable to ask for a structured schedule.”

She added that although pockets of debris remain, much more waste has already been cleared than is immediately visible.

### Residents Demand Timelines for Recovery

Residents demanded clear dates for drain cleaning, garbage removal, and road repairs, warning that any significant rainfall could easily trigger another round of flooding.

Dr. Chang assured the gathering that the Government is receiving daily updates from cleanup teams in the field.

> “Every single day we ask for updates,” he said. “We understand the challenge, and we will respond.”

He emphasized that the devastation in western Jamaica mirrors, if not exceeds, the destruction caused by Hurricane Gilbert, explaining why the recovery process remains so complex and prolonged.

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**Stay tuned to [your publication name] for the latest updates on Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts in Catherine Hall and across western Jamaica.**
https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20251114/catherine-hall-priority-recovery-zone-says-chang

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