PRIME Minister Dr Andrew Holness has declared Jamaica a “threatened area” as potentially dangerous Tropical Storm Melissa continues its slow waltz towards the island.

The late Friday afternoon Order was issued pursuant to Section 26(2) of the Disaster Risk Management Act (DRMA), and came hours after Holness told a Jamaica House press briefing that he would be taking all measures, up to and including declaring the country a disaster area, in order to keep Jamaicans safe.

The declaration comes as the country remains firmly under a tropical storm warning and hurricane watch, with Melissa stalling off Jamaica’s south-eastern coast.

“Under this Order, the whole of Jamaica is declared to be a threatened area due to the potential impact of Tropical Storm Melissa, which poses a significant threat to the island. This declaration empowers the Government to implement precautionary and protective measures to safeguard lives, property, and critical infrastructure,” said a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister.

It noted that the Order “reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to maintaining public order and protecting citizens during this period of heightened alert”.

“By declaring Jamaica a threatened area we are activating the legal tools to move resources quickly, safeguard critical services, and protect the most vulnerable. This declaration enables the Government to act swiftly and decisively. I have directed all agencies to execute their preparedness plans, including shelter readiness and the pre-positioning of supplies and equipment,” Holness said.

According to the statement, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Senator Aubyn Hill also issued The Trade (Sale of Goods During Period of Declaration of Threatened Area) (Tropical Storm Melissa) Order, 2025, effectively outlawing price gouging. It was issued under Section 8(1) of the Trade Act.

“This Order, which also takes effect today [Friday], prohibits retailers from increasing the prices of essential goods — including food, water, medical supplies, personal care items, building materials, and emergency equipment — for the duration of the declared period. Violations of this Order may attract penalties of up to $1 million upon conviction before a parish court,” said the statement.

“There will be zero tolerance for price gouging,” the prime minister said. “The Trade Order sends a clear message that no one should profit from a potential disaster. We are taking every precaution to ensure that preparedness measures are in place and that citizens are not subject to exploitation during this time.”

The last time the DRMA was used to declare Jamaica a disaster area was on July 2, 2024, hours before Hurricane Beryl sideswiped the island’s southern coast the next day, leaving billions of dollars in damage and causing several deaths.

“I urge Jamaicans to take this weather threat seriously; you have nothing to lose even if it doesn’t come,” said Holness as he wrapped up Friday’s press briefing.

“If it doesn’t come and you’re prepared, fine, you’ve lost nothing. The greater loss is if you didn’t prepare and it came.”

The prime minister said by now Jamaicans should have internalised and made it a culture, “once you hear that there is a weather threat, take precautions; never take it lightly”.

Holness also said he was encouraging “all Jamaicans of faith to pray”. He reminded of Hurricane Matthew which, in 2018, was on a similar trajectory but which made a U-turn between Jamaica and Haiti.

“Who knows? Even though this is now south-east of Jamaica it may very well pass Jamaica and go elsewhere, so keep the faith and keep praying,” he said.

Holness also urged Jamaicans to be smart, reminding of the young man who was washed away while playing football during Hurricane Beryl.

“Take all measures to protect yourself,” he implored, and encouraged Jamaicans to follow updates by tuning in to reliable sources such as the Meteorological Services of Jamaica.

Meanwhile, people living on gully banks, riverbeds and other vulnerable areas could be forced to evacuate, based on the provisions of the DRMA.

“If you live on gully banks, if you live in river courses, if you live in areas that were flooded during Beryl, expect that this will happen again, that there will be flooding,” Holness said at the media briefing.

“Take the necessary measures. I’ve not yet said evacuate, but if we declare a disaster, evacuation orders will be in effect,” he stated.

The prime minister said he was putting everyone on notice that the high-risk areas have already been mapped by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management and will be published. He said the Ministry of Transport will be tapped to provide buses in the event there are evacuations.

“The JUTC [Jamaica Urban Transit Company] buses are already alerted to the need for evacuations, so we will provide some amount of public transportation. [And] if it becomes necessary, the toll roads will be opened to allow persons to move more quickly and safely, so we are prepared in that regard as well. And we encourage persons: ‘If you’re called upon to be evacuated — take the opportunity and leave the area,’ ” Holness said.

The prime minister also warned that the full force of the law will be brought to bear on people who are minded to use the cover of the approaching weather system to steal or damage equipment used by telecoms providers, as was the case during the passage of Beryl.

“The loss of telecommunications was not so much because of the impact of the hurricane itself, but there was significant theft of fuel and equipment relating to telecommunications,” he said.

He reminded that the Government has indicated its intent to amend the relevant law, “to have stiffer penalties and to criminalise some of these acts, because they do impact the entire economy and should be treated with more severely”.

Continuing, he said: “In lieu of the amendments to the law, the security forces have been alerted that special attention ought to be paid to these critical infrastructure which are necessary for the continuity of government, and for the continuity of business, and indeed for public safety”.

He told Commissioner of Police Dr Kevin Blake, who had earlier addressed the press briefing, that, “You have been tasked …to ensure that there is no break in our telecommunications and to ensure that these criminals who would want to take advantage of the disaster to exploit our telecommunications infrastructure, that they are dealt with in the harshest way.”

In the meantime, an additional $200 million has been allocated by the Government to effect emergency drain-cleaning activity across the country, with each of the 63 constituencies allocated at least $3 million. This brings to $400 million the amount being spent to get drains cleaned ahead of the storm.

One shelter has been opened to date in St Thomas. An elderly man is its lone resident.