ST ANDREW, Jamaica — Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that the Government will take a closer look at the management and approval process for developments in the country.

In a press release this afternoon, the prime minister said that the flooding as a result of heavy rainfall affecting the country for the past 48 hours can largely be attributed to the country’s lack of capacity to deal with these extraordinary weather events.

Following a preliminary briefing this morning on the impact of the heavy rain, Holness said it is clear the existing drains in the country were not built to accommodate the large volume of water from the two days of rainfall adding that there are capacity as well as developmental issues in the management of the country’s infrastructure.

“We have an extraordinary weather event that is causing problems on our decade’s old drainage system. As a country our development has not kept pace with our ability to deal with run-off, solid waste management and other environmental issues. 

“Added to that, past administrations have not managed the development process effectively to ensure that the increased capacity of the drainage systems matches the level of physical development. We now must develop a programme to expand and manage the country’s infrastructure to deal with such extraordinary weather events,” said the prime minister.

The prime minister noted that with the onset of global warming the Government must move quickly to deal with the matter adding that the government will continue to do what is necessary to help persons who have been impact by the heavy rain.

Clarendon as well as the eastern parishes of Portland and St Thomas have reported instances of flooding due to heavy rains over the past two days.