Prime Minister Andrew Holness says his administration is taking a “systematic and balanced” approach to preparing for Tropical Storm Melissa, emphasising that while precautionary measures are underway, the government must act based on accurate data and timing to avoid unnecessary economic disruption.

Speaking at a special press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) on Friday, Holness said Jamaica has demonstrated strong crisis management in recent years.

“During this administration, you would have seen the country at risk at several weather events and other kinds of threats, including a pandemic, and we have generally handled them all very well,” he said.

“We believe that our administration has managed crises very well and has ensured that we not only withstand threats and the crisis, but we recover and recover quickly and stronger than before.”

The prime minister noted that weather systems are becoming more frequent and more intense, with overlapping events presenting new challenges.

“We’re seeing more weather events that are of increasing intensity, but before one is finished, another one is coming,” he said. “So the administration has to have a standing policy and strategy to deal with crises that are more frequent, more intense, and overlapping.”

Holness explained that the government’s response will be guided by the Disaster Risk Management Act (DRMA), though there are no plans to invoke emergency powers.

“There is a legislative framework which guides how we respond to crises that we term disasters, and that is the Disaster Risk Management Act,” he said. “Certainly, there are constitutional provisions under emergency powers, but it is at this time not our intention to utilise those powers.”

He added that the government will make a declaration of disaster or threat of disaster once a full assessment is received from the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM).

Holness said the latest update from the Meteorological Service indicates that the weather system, currently 220 miles southeast of Kingston, is still a tropical storm but could strengthen.

“You don’t want to put your pre-emptive measures too early. People get frustrated and say it’s not going to come and then they go back to normal activity—and then it comes,” he explained.

“You would have seen that we gave an early pre-emptive yesterday by suspending schools, and today, I believe it is at 2 pm that the public sector will be asked to go home. I suspect the private sector will follow suit.”

The prime minister cautioned against actions that could prematurely slow business activity, recalling that Hurricane Beryl cost the country approximately J$57 billion, or 0.5 per cent of GDP growth.

“We don’t want to exacerbate the impact by taking actions that will reduce commerce, reduce business too early,” he said. “So it’s a real guessing game, and it requires us meeting, analysing, getting all the data so that we make the right decisions.”

Holness assured the public that once disaster orders are proclaimed, there will be full consultation with stakeholders and proper notice before any measures are implemented. He also announced that the government will move under the Trade Act to prevent price gouging during the storm.

Holness said supermarkets were already seeing a rush on staple items, but warned that anyone attempting to inflate prices during the emergency would face penalties. “As these products become scarce, there may be persons tempted to raise their prices, and we will not have that during a disaster,” he said. “Therefore, the Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce will shortly sign an order to this effect.”

He also warned against theft and vandalism of telecommunications equipment, which severely impacted recovery during Hurricane Beryl.

“We intend to amend the law to have stiffer penalties and to criminalise some of these acts because they do impact the entire economy,” he declared. “The Commissioner of Police has been tasked specifically to ensure there is no break in telecommunications and that those who exploit disasters are dealt with in the harshest way.”

The prime minister closed by urging Jamaicans to remain calm, follow official advisories, and cooperate fully with national preparedness efforts as the island braces for the approaching storm.