KINGSTON, Jamaica — Prime Minister Andrew Holness has reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the full recovery and rebuilding of Black River.

Holness addressed residents at the Urban Development Corporation’s (UDC) Fireworks Festival on New Year’s Eve.

Black River is one of the communities hardest hit by Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 hurricane that caused widespread devastation across western parishes on October 28.

Acknowledging the loss, hardship and uncertainty, Holness assured residents that the Government’s recovery programme is well underway and gaining momentum.

“As we welcome 2026, I know many of you are still hurting. There is uncertainty. There is discomfort. There is rebuilding yet to be done. But hear me clearly tonight: Black River is not broken. Black River is rising,” Holness said, according to a release by the Office of the Prime Minister.

Holness outlined progress being made in restoring critical services, beginning with electricity. He noted that crews are on the ground, equipment is in place and additional resources are being deployed to accelerate the process. Power restoration is being prioritised in town centres, followed by surrounding communities, with most affected areas expected to have electricity restored by the end of January.

Water restoration, he said, will follow the return of electricity, with emergency support already expanded to meet urgent needs.

“We know some systems were badly damaged, so we have added 12 water trucks already, with eight more coming soon. These will stay in the affected areas to make sure no one is left without water,” the prime minister said.

Telecommunications services are also being restored, as damaged towers are repaired and rebuilt. Holness indicated that by the end of January, all affected areas should have at least cellular coverage.

While commending residents for their resilience and strong sense of community, Holness stressed the unprecedented scale of Hurricane Melissa and the need for targeted and sustained support.

“Hurricane Melissa was one of the strongest storms ever recorded. Over 150,000 homes were affected, and over 800,000 people felt its impact,” he said.

He explained that the Government’s response is being guided by detailed damage assessments to ensure assistance reaches the most vulnerable. More than 50,000 households have already been assessed, and financial support payments are scheduled to begin in January, following Cabinet’s final review.

Holness also outlined plans to repair roofs for vulnerable households, procure semi-permanent housing for families who lost their homes, and transition displaced residents from shelters into stable, long-term housing solutions.

Emphasising the need for long-term resilience, particularly in climate-vulnerable communities across the western region, Holness said recovery efforts must go beyond simply restoring what was lost.

“We cannot just replace what was there before. We must build smarter, stronger, and safer,” he said.