PRIME Minister Portia Simpson Miller last night announced government’s intention to develop an islandwide zoning and relocation programme that she said will be enforceable by law.

The announcement, in a broadcast to the nation, came in the wake of Hurricane Dean on Sunday, August 19, which did extensive property damage, especially along the south coast.

“We will identify no-build areas, alternative, safer sites and develop a programme for relocation and zoning, which will have the full force of the law,” Simpson Miller said.

The prime minister said that she would be convening a meeting with government agencies and non-government organisations (NGOs), including the Jamaica Institution of Engineers (JIE) and Jamaica Institute of Architects (JIA) to develop the zoning and relocation programme.

“The threats to life and property makes the location of houses in vulnerable areas too great a risk to be allowed to continue,” said Simpson Miller.

“We cannot provide for every type of natural disaster, but we can at least do those things within our power to minimise loss of life and property,” she said.

At the same time, the prime minister said the National Shelter Establishment and Management Plan will be refined to identify strategically located safe buildings throughout the island to be used as shelters and develop programmes to manage them once open.