PRIME Minister Dr Andrew Holness has delivered a stark assessment of Jamaica’s governance infrastructure, warning that the current Parliament building could not withstand a major hurricane as he reiterated the need for a new Government campus which, he said, will now be advanced as a national priority.

Making his contribution to the 2026/27 Budget Debate last Thursday, Holness said Hurricane Melissa had exposed a deeper vulnerability within the State itself, revealing that key Government operations are housed in facilities that are not designed to function during major disasters.

Separately, the sitting on Thursday also highlighted the physical limitations of the current Parliament building, with the gallery filled to capacity and many unable to secure adequate seating to view the prime minister’s presentation.

Holness pointed to the fragmented nature of Jamaica’s public administration which has ministries, departments and agencies spread across ageing buildings that are often poorly connected and not built to withstand extreme events.

“Hurricane Melissa exposed the vulnerability of the Government itself. Jamaica currently houses its ministries and departments and agencies in a patchwork of ageing, scattered buildings, many of them structurally inadequate, poorly connected to each other, and wholly unprepared for the demands that a major disaster places on Government operations,” said Holness.

Within that broader weakness, Holness singled out the Parliament building as a clear example of the risks facing the country’s governance system.

“This Parliament could never have withstood the impact of Hurricane Melissa or even a slightly lower hurricane, and I think it is now a moot point. I think every member of parliament here serving in this building would have to agree [that] the building has served us well, put it that way, but it really cannot carry us much further,” Holness added.

Hurricane Melissa struck the south-western and north-western sections of the island on October 28, 2025, causing widespread damage and placing unprecedented strain on public infrastructure and emergency response systems.

Holness argued that in a modern, disaster-prone environment, resilience must extend beyond roads, bridges and utilities to include the institutions responsible for coordinating national response and recovery.

In response, the Government is moving to consolidate key State functions into a purpose-built Government campus at National Heroes’ Circle which will bring Parliament, ministries, and critical agencies into a single, integrated location.

“In the post-Melissa context the Government campus is more than a statement of national pride, it is a strategic investment in the continuity of government,” he said.

The prime minister also extended the concern beyond Parliament, pointing to vulnerabilities within the health sector — particularly at the more than 200-year-old “venerated” Kingston Public Hospital.

“Had Hurricane Melissa struck Kingston, the consequences could have been more catastrophic, potentially damaging or destroying a major national referral hospital at the very moment when the residents of the surrounding area would need it the most. That would have added a dangerous new layer of public health crisis to an already severe natural disaster,” Holness said, adding “We have to take note of our vulnerabilities and address them before they manifest.”

Holness said Cabinet has already approved the acquisition of lands to facilitate the construction of a new, modern hospital. The construction will be led by the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA).

The prime minister stressed that the lessons from Hurricane Melissa must now inform how Jamaica plans and builds going forward, warning against delaying action until vulnerabilities are exposed again.