KINGSTON, Jamaica — Organisers of the JAAA/Puma/Jamalco track meet have offered to assist schools from western Jamaica by waiving entry fees and offering lunches for the February 7th staging of the event at the Jamalco Sports Club.

The organisers announced on Monday that schools from the five western parishes that were severely affected by the passage of Hurricane Melissa in October last year would be exempt from paying entry fees and would receive “up to 15 lunches each for registered and participating athletes”.

Nearly all schools in the western parishes received significant infrastructural damage, and students and teachers suffered damage to their homes, causing a setback to the preparation for the 2026 track and field season.

Last week, the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) responded to a series of requests from the schools by waiving grades and attendance qualifying standards for western schools taking part in the track and field championships.

— Paul A Reid