THREE of the island’s main professional construction groups have urged the Government to walk gingerly regarding its plan to introduce container housing for people displaced by Hurricane Melissa.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, two weeks ago, announced that his Administration endorsed container homes or modular houses to provide cost-effective and safe housing options for victims of Melissa.

At that time Holness said after careful assessment the Government was satisfied that these are appropriate to fill the existing gaps.

“There are different types, different versions, and so I have met with the NHT (National Housing Trust), and the NHT has provided us with a solution that they are presently working on. At a later stage, we’ll go into more details.

“But the plan is, in the initial phase, for the NHT to purchase 5,000 container homes and some of them will be for sale. So with a programme with the NHT you will be able to purchase… and a portion of them will be made available through social housing,” said Holness.

On Tuesday Minister of Finance Fayval Williams, in announcing a $29-billion increase in the Government’s planned expenditure for the 2025/26 fiscal year, said $7.2 billion of this amount will go to the Ministry of Economic Growth and Infrastructure Development targeted for road infrastructure, and the procurement of 3,300 containerised housing units.

But in a media release on Wednesday, the Incorporated Masterbuilders Association of Jamaica (IMAJ), Jamaica Institution of Engineers (JIE), and Jamaican Institute of Architects (JIA) called on the Government for a national shift to hurricane-resilient housing — with temporary containers used only for urgent relief shelter.

The professional bodies said five weeks after Hurricane Melissa destroyed more than 40,000 homes and damaged an estimated 191,000 across western Jamaica, they are urging a pivot toward permanent, hurricane-resilient block-and-steel, reinforced concrete, and engineered-timber housing as the foundation of national recovery.

“Only strong, code-compliant structures can break Jamaica’s cycle of vulnerability. Our organisations stand ready to guide the Government and communities with proven standards, appropriate designs, and the technical expertise required to rebuild stronger, safer, and climate-resilient homes and towns,” the groups said in the joint release.

“We acknowledge that the Government is in the process of procuring an estimated 5,000 foldable container units; however, these units must be treated strictly as temporary emergency shelter — used only after passing structural, thermal, chemical, and anchorage testing by the BSJ (Bureau of Standards Jamaica)… and certified as safe by ODPEM (Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management). Container shelters cannot replace permanent housing and must not evolve into long-term ‘container communities’,” the groups said in the release.

They argued that Melissa, with winds of more than 185 miles per hour, demonstrated that concrete walls, reinforced roofs, strong fastening systems, and professionally supervised construction significantly outperformed makeshift buildings.

“The IMAJ, JIE, and JIA therefore recommend a national programme centred on affordable block-and-steel and reinforced-concrete starter homes, roofing grants, relocation from high-risk zones, and PAHO (Pan-American Health Organization)-standard engineered-timber units — all designed to withstand Category 5 winds,” the groups said.

“Jamaica’s engineers, architects, and local contractors understand the island’s terrain, construction ecosystem, and climate risks. Our professionals work daily with local soils, materials, labour systems, and coastal and hillside conditions — knowledge essential for safe and durable rebuilding.

“National recovery must therefore rely on professional guidance to ensure solutions are safe, culturally appropriate, and properly adapted to Jamaica’s varied environment. Professional inspection and enforcement of the Building Code must be treated as national priorities. Jamaica’s contractors, engineers, and architects stand ready to help the country rebuild safer, stronger, and resilient communities,” added the professional organisations.