PNP rep calls on Gov’t to cancel upcoming ‘no movement’ days after Ida
CLARENDON, Jamaica – People’s National Party councillor caretaker for the Frankfield Division of North West Clarendon, Karen Carty is calling on Prime Minister Andrew Holness to rescind the upcoming no-movement days to allow persons to recover from the passage of Tropical Storm Ida.
The storm has dumped heavy rainfall across sections of the island including Clarendon, which saw major flooding, land slippage and entire communities being cut off.
Carty, whose community of South Wood is also cut off due to the overflowing Rio Minho, is concerned that persons will not be able to recover properly from the effects of the tropical storm before entering three consecutive days of lockdown beginning Saturday evening.
“The tropical storm, based on the weather reports, is expected to move away from the island this weekend, we cannot then enter into a state of compete lockdown. This will hamper any attempt by residents to pick up the pieces of their lives,” she said in a press release on Friday.
Carty pointed out that some persons were still being affected by the recent passage of Tropical Storm Grace when they went into last weekend’s lockdown.
“Even here in South Wood, before Ida, we were experiencing power outages resulting from Grace,” she noted.
“Many persons went into last weekend’s lockdown without food, medicine or other basic items. We basically had one day to get what we needed because the effects of Ida started Wednesday evening with heavy rains and strong winds and the situation has been like that continuously.”
The PNP standard bearer in the Division said she has been receiving widespread reports of devastation across her Division and pointed out that it would be doubly devastating for the residents should they endure another multiple days of lockdown.