SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth — In the aftermath of the destruction of their offices in the parish capital Black River by Hurricane Melissa, councillors of the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation had no option but to look inwards at last Thursday’s monthly meeting held miles away from base.

As was the case in November, councillors — now back from the Christmas break — held their first meeting of 2026 at a commercial plaza, Levon’s, in Santa Cruz.

Ironically, their regular meeting room — a solid concrete and steel structure with deck roofing built more than a decade ago in honour of former mayors Jeremy Palmer and Everton Fisher — is among the few buildings still intact in Black River.

But now that structure is unavailable for meetings since it is accommodating scores of municipal corporation employees.

That’s after ageing office buildings, as well as the adjacent historic landmark, Black River Courthouse, were badly damaged or destroyed by towering tidal waves and powerful winds triggered by the hurricane in late October.

A visit by the Jamaica Observer to Black River last Friday revealed municipal staff crammed into the meeting room, said to be 25 feet wide and 40 feet long.

The room is housing the mayor’s office, CEO’s office, chief engineer’s office, Accounts Department, Planning Department, Roads and Works, minor water supplies, commercial services, and disaster coordination.

The Poor Relief Department is reportedly being housed in a drop-in centre next door — also a modern structure built a few years ago.

“I feel frustrated… can’t concentrate, and there is no privacy…” a senior staff member told the
Sunday Observer.

To make matters worse, municipal workers complained of the hum from a fuel-driven electricity generator.

“The background noise is killing me,” said one.

While electricity from the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) has been restored to sections of the town, the municipal corporation was still without power last Friday.

Deputy Mayor Donald Simpson, councillor for the Malvern Division (Jamaica Labour Party [JLP]), who was visiting to deal with paperwork, concisely summed up the situation: “It’s almost impossible to function properly. It’s chaotic, confusing… persons are trying to do their best, but it is traumatising,” Simpson said.

At last Thursday’s meeting in Santa Cruz, councillors called for more information and “consultation” to determine the way forward — short and longer term — in terms of municipal offices and the wider Black River.

Councillor Karl Whyte (JLP, Pedro Plains Division), wants urgent help from central government.

Pointing to not just physical but psychological damage caused by the disaster, Whyte praised municipal staff for continuing to serve in very challenging circumstances.

“We must get help from central government. We can’t be left on our own as a municipality,” a passionate Whyte declared.

“They (central government) must can send some reconditioned laptops to equip our staff.

“We have had millions of dollars donated to hurricane relief fund in this country. Some of that money should be used to equip our staff… resources should be directed to areas [of greatest need],” he declared.

As the sea surged ashore in Black River during the hurricane, machinery, including motor vehicles and a wide range of equipment like computers and other electronic and digital devices, were destroyed. The offices of the municipal corporation were not spared in that regard.

The Pedro Plains councillor called on the leadership of the council to emphasise the severity of the situation to central government in Kingston.

Responding, chairman of the municipal corporation and Mayor of Black River Councillor Richard Solomon (JLP, New Market Division) was adamant that, “We are doing the necessary representation to the highest level.”

He insisted that, in the current situation, and in the context of widespread destruction caused by the hurricane, his colleagues should not expect “a magic wand”.

Said Solomon: “We continue to make representation, but there is a process…”

The meeting also focused on perceived inadequate consultation regarding rebuilding of Black River as well as municipal offices.

Former Mayor Everton Fisher (People’s National Party, Balaclava Division) led the way in demanding discussions with councillors and the St Elizabeth public on the way forward.

Fisher argued that, more than two months since the hurricane it was unacceptable that Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie had not yet met with all St Elizabeth councillors.

“The 15 of us should have had a meeting with the minister by now,” he declared.

Black River Hospital and schools were severely damaged, Black River Market, priceless heritage sites, and historic buildings were demolished, and commercial or business interests devastated during the hurricane.

Resulting rubble piled everywhere led to iconic Independence Park — the primary centre of outdoor recreation and sports, entertainment, and official functions — becoming a dump site immediately after the hurricane.

Councillor Dwight Salmon (PNP, Black River Division), complained that, though word had come from Government for dumping to cease at Independence Park and for clean-up to begin, garbage was still being taken there.

Though critical of the decision to dump rubble and garbage at the park when other open “spaces” were available, Salmon conceded, following exchanges with Solomon, that “communication” had been a problem.

The mayor said that with roads blocked and urgent action needed to provide a path for health, security, and other vital services, decision-makers felt compelled to use Independence Park.

Had he known of other suitable spaces, those would have been considered, Solomon said.

Salmon appeared to accept that his local knowledge as councillor couldn’t be shared immediately, since utility services, including cellular networks, had collapsed during the storm.

Solomon said that while clean-up continued to be an immediate priority, Independence Park would be restored.

Whyte asked about reports he had heard of plans to “repurpose” Independence Park as a site for essential infrastructure as part of the longer-term rebuilding of historic Black River.

However, this was dismissed by Mayor Solomon as baseless “rumour”.

Iconic Independence Park in St Elizabeth became a dump site post-Hurricane Melissa.

The municipal corporation meeting room in Black River, St Elizabeth, now houses municipal staff in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

The municipal corporation’s Building Department post-Hurricane Melissa

What’s left of the municipal corporation’s Disaster Department in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. (Photos: Garfield Myers)