KINGSTON, Jamaica — Shadow Minister of Local Government, Natalie Neita Garvey is raising concern about the continued housing of hurricane-affected residents in school shelters months after the passage of Hurricane Melissa, stressing that this situation should have been resolved long ago.

Hurricane Melissa made landfall on October 28, causing widespread damage to the western region of the island.

In a release, Neita Garvey said that no citizen should still be residing in emergency shelters at this stage, particularly in facilities intended for children’s education. She noted that the prolonged use of schools as shelters has created a range of serious issues, including disruptions to learning, inadequate living conditions, and the absence of proper safeguards for vulnerable groups, especially children.

She further highlighted troubling reports of inappropriate conduct within these shared spaces, including incidents of sexual behaviour in the presence of children, underscoring the urgent need for stronger oversight and immediate intervention.

“The Government has a responsibility to ensure that displaced residents are relocated in a timely and dignified manner. We are now well beyond the point where emergency sheltering should be the norm. The continued use of schools in this way is unacceptable and exposes both students and residents to unnecessary risk,” she said.

Neita Garvey is calling on the Minister of Local Government to provide a clear update on the status of relocation efforts, including the implementation of the rental programme announced earlier this year, the timeline for the full exit of residents from school shelters, and the broader post-Hurricane Melissa recovery plan.

She also urged the authorities to outline immediate measures to protect children and restore schools to safe and appropriate learning environments.