KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister with responsibility for telecommunications, Daryl Vaz, is putting Jamaicans on notice that despite the assurances given by Jamaica Public Service (JPS) and the telecoms providers about being better prepared to withstand and recover from a weather system, the true test will come after the event passes.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl which impacted Jamaica in July 2024, electricity provider Jamaica Public Service (JPS) took weeks to restore power to some customers, particularly in the central Jamaica parishes of Clarendon, Manchester and St Elizabeth.

Telecoms providers Flow and Digicel faced additional challenges related to the theft of their equipment which delayed restoration to some customers.

As Jamaica braces for a direct hit from Hurricane Melissa which is packing winds at category 4 strength, the utility providers are insisting that they are better prepared.

But Vaz is urging Jamaicans to be realistic. “I want to caution Jamaica to realise and understand that we did not get a direct hit from Beryl and we are due to get a direct hit [at] category 4 and possibly category 5, so the level of damage that you saw in Beryl will likely be severely increased and more widespread than what we had,” he said.

He was addressing a special media briefing at the emergency operations centre of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), at ODPEM’s Haining Road headquarters on Sunday.

He said he has taken note of the presentations he has received from the telecoms, JPS and other essential service providers that fall under his area of responsibility. “I am satisfied that we have a plan in place. But again, I want to caution that the plan is one thing, the execution of that plan is what is going to make the difference in our recovery”.