ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica— People’s National Party (PNP) Caretaker for St Elizabeth South Western, Miranda Wellington, who believes the Government has been negligent in the way the southern parish has been treated since the devastation of Hurricane Beryl, is calling on Prime Minister Andrew Holness to declare the entire parish a disaster area.

“The prime minister’s failure to act decisively is not just a drop in the bucket – it’s a deluge of indifference. While our constituents are drowning in despair, the government seems content to watch from the shore,” Wellington said in a news statement on Sunday.

She emphasised that the magnitude of the disaster demanded immediate action from the highest levels of Government.

“The prme minister’s visit in the hurricane’s wake should have been a watershed moment. Instead, it was a mere trickle of concern,” she remarked.

“A high-level task force should have been deployed faster than you can say ‘state of emergency,’ with all relevant agencies mobilised to stem the tide of destruction,” she further stated.

The PNP caretaker painted a grim picture of the parish’s current state. Thousands of residents have been severely affected, with hundreds of roofs destroyed and scores of families displaced. Water and electricity supplies have been disrupted for over a month, with the Jamaica Public Service Company projecting no power restoration until September.

“In Jamaica’s breadbasket, we’re now facing a famine of resources. Our crops lie decimated, our fishing industry is on ice due to destroyed equipment and lack of refrigeration. The Government’s response? As useful as a chocolate teapot in this crisis,” Wellington lamented.

She went on to propose a five-point plan to address the crisis:

– Prioritise electricity restoration to water pumping stations

– Coordinate a concentrated effort to restore power parish-wide

– Provide roofing supplies to affected families

– Initiate discussions on government programs to support farmers and fisherfolk

– Implement a non-partisan program to sustain vulnerable residents

“These aren’t pipe dreams, they’re necessities. It’s high time the government stopped treating St Elizabeth like a forgotten backwater and recognised it as the vital artery of Jamaica’s agricultural heartland,” Wellington insisted.

“We demand action, not empty promises. St Elizabeth’s recovery isn’t just a local issue – it’s a litmus test for this government’s commitment to all Jamaicans. Will they rise to the occasion, or will they leave us to weather this storm alone?” the PNP caretaker asked.