Waynette Strachan, the People’s National Party (PNP) Junior Spokesperson for Local Government and Community Development, and the PNP’s representative for the Hagley Park Division, is calling on the government to direct the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) to provide immediate relief to numerous communities severely impacted by recent floods across the island.

“The situation is dire, and the need for immediate assistance cannot be overstated. Thousands of individuals require urgent relief in the form of essential supplies such as food, bedding, home repairs, and restoration of critical infrastructure like drains and retaining walls. Lives are in jeopardy, and people are enduring tremendous hardships,” stated Strachan in a news release, adding that the gravity of the situation demands a departure from what she called conventional approaches.

Expressing concern over what she said was a perceived lack of urgency from authorities, Strachan highlighted the plight of numerous individuals stranded without access to vital services. She claimed that recent tours by Labour and Social Security Minister Pearnel Charles Jnr, while reportedly delivering supplies and conducting assessments in some communities, failed to encompass the full extent of the crisis, leaving many vulnerable people unassisted.

“Notwithstanding reports of Minister Charles touring specific areas, including East Rural St Andrew alongside House Speaker Juliet Holness and Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie, focusing solely on certain constituencies doesn’t address the national magnitude of this unprecedented flood,” the PNP spokesperson said. “This crisis necessitates a comprehensive response involving all pertinent agencies, with active participation from representatives and community leaders.”

Strachan concluded by asserting that selective attention to particular constituencies would not meet the expectations of the Jamaican people during this critical time.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Sunday morning embarked on a tour to survey damage left behind to sections of the island by the heavy rains.

WATCH: Holness embarks on tour of flood-damaged areas

Holness, in a post to X late Saturday, said his damage assessment will focus on the most affected areas as the Government moves to address it “as quickly as possible.”

He noted that the parishes of St Catherine, St Andrew, St Thomas, and Portland were most affected, with St Thomas and St Andrew experiencing the brunt of the rains and the subsequent flooding and land slippage.