TRELAWNY, Jamaica — Mayor of Falmouth and Chairman of the Trelawny Municipal Corporation (TMC), Councillor C Junior Gager, says that despite displacement and other challenges brought on by the passage of Hurricane Melissa in October 2025, the municipal body is doing its best to ensure residents are not short-changed in the delivery of services.

“Our operations at the office are not back to normal completely. However, we continue to do our best to complete our roles and functions while serving the citizens of this parish,” Gager said.

“I urge us all to continue to stay positive amid the displacement and discomfort as together we shall rise,” he added.

The mayor was speaking on Thursday during the regular monthly meeting of the Trelawny Municipal Corporation, held at an office at the Falmouth Artisan Village.

TMC meetings have been hosted at the Falmouth Artisan Village since the category five hurricane slammed into the seaside town, damaging several pieces of infrastructure, including the historic Falmouth Courthouse, which previously housed the corporation’s administrative offices and the mayor’s parlour.

Most of the services offered by the TMC are now being undertaken at the roads and works office in the town. The makeshift mayor’s office has also been relocated to the same premises and is currently operating from a retrofitted container.

Following the devastation caused by the hurricane, the Trelawny Infirmary was evacuated, with residents temporarily relocated to the Elleston Wakefield Community Centre. A new $150-million temporary facility, constructed using prefabricated containers, is currently underway in Falmouth to accommodate the 54 residents, with completion expected in early 2026.

Gager noted that construction work on the temporary home is progressing satisfactorily.

— Horace Hines