Security forces on alert for lawbreakers
Published:Tuesday | October 28, 2025 | 12:10 AMKimone Francis/Senior Staff Reporter
Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness says Jamaica’s security forces have been strategically deployed to prevent any break in law and order amid the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
The Category 5 storm is expected to come ashore in the western end of the island today, following more than a week of tracking and moderate shifts in its projected path.
Holness has urged Jamaicans and foreigners on the island to shelter in place, even as he announced the mandatory evacuation of several vulnerable coastal communities that are likely to be impacted by storm surges and flooding.
“I am sufficiently satisfied that the security forces are properly deployed in such a way as to prevent any break in law and order,” said Holness.
He said the security forces are “properly mobilised” and understand the posture required for the pending disaster, noting that the rights of citizens must be respected at all times.
The prime minister said legislative framework is in place to guide the response of the security forces, while urging persons to remain indoors.
“That’s the safest place to be at the moment. And that gives less work to the security forces. Looting and other kinds of anti-social behaviour, which I would include having parties in the rain, playing football in the rain, running in the gullies. I urge all of our citizens, and I make a special appeal to our young people. Some have never really experienced the true impact of a hurricane. I urge you to stay inside.
“And I ask heads of households and our elders to engage with our young people, so that they understand,” said Holness.
In the meantime, Holness said while the country is as prepared as it can be – giving the collective effort an A- – he said there remains room for improvement, acknowledging also that there are areas of concern.
While noting that 881 shelters have been activated, Holness said greater effort must be made to ensure the comfort of persons who have to use the facilities.
“I am monitoring reports, and persons have turned up to shelters and shelters are not open. They may be activated but, for example, they can’t find the person who should open the shelter with the key. They’re there, they know it should happen, but they’re just not on spot when people come. It may be corrected 20 minutes after, 30 minutes after, but the discomfort of not being immediately accessible would have already made it into the public domain,” he said.
Holness said this is one area of preparation that needed to be strengthened, by sensitising shelter managers about their responsibilities.
At the same time, he stressed that adequate information has been given for Jamaicans in vulnerable areas to relocate.
Noting that persons living in threatened communities have been slow to react to calls to leave, Holness said their rights must be weighed against national good, calling it a balancing act.
“We are in that zone where we have given the information. No one can say that the Government was not forward-leaning in giving the information to persons who are in areas of risk. You have been warned. So it’s now up to you to use that information to make the right decisions,” he said, subsequently confirming that mandatory evacuation was being enforced.
“This is an unusual system … . You’re dealing with a higher level of destruction; a higher probability of landslides; a higher probability of flooding, even areas where flooding would not have taken place. So we have to bear that in mind and be prepared,” he said.