KINGSTON, Jamaica — Member of Parliament for St James Southern, Nekeisha Burchell, has criticised the pace and fairness of hurricane recovery efforts, arguing that communities in her constituency remain severely disadvantaged nearly six months after category five storm Melissa caused widespread destruction across the island.

Speaking at a press conference hosted by the People’s National Party (PNP) on Tuesday on the “post-Melissa housing crisis”, Burchell said St James Southern accounts for 53 per cent of the parish’s landmass, yet continues to face disproportionate hardship compared to other constituencies.

She pointed to the visible contrast between infrastructure repairs in Montego Bay and the deteriorating conditions within her constituency.

“It is quite disheartening to drive on smooth roads in Montego Bay that have been speedily remedied… and then traverse really, really bad roads in your own constituency,” she said.

Burchell highlighted that the constituency’s landlocked nature compounds the challenges residents face. With key access routes damaged, including the Spring Mount main road, which she described as having been “rendered impassable” and now resembling “a waterfall”, residents are forced to take dangerous alternative routes.

One such route, she noted, involves travelling from Gutters to Hampton along a narrow and hazardous track with steep precipices. Another access point at Sweetwater has deteriorated to the point where the road has effectively turned into steps, making it unusable for vehicles and hindering the delivery of relief supplies and the transport of agricultural goods.

Despite raising concerns through official channels, including the Standing Finance Committee and speaking with relevant ministers, Burchell said little has been done to address the situation. She warned that frustrated residents have threatened to block unsafe roadways if urgent repairs are not undertaken.

Burchell also expressed concern over the distribution of financial assistance, stating that she had not received the $10 million reportedly allocated for relief efforts.

Burchell further criticised the closure of the ROOFs assessment database, arguing that it disproportionately affects rural residents who may be displaced after disasters and therefore are unavailable during official assessments. She called for improved communication strategies, including the use of a town crier and printed notices, to ensure residents are aware of assessment visits.

She also urged government agencies to stop directing constituents to Members of Parliament for housing assistance, emphasising that such support falls under the ROOFs programme.

Burchell also said small business owners have been left without support, with many reporting loss of stock due to the hurricane, and some supplies stolen. She questioned the absence of targeted economic assistance for a constituency “so ravaged by this hurricane”.

Farmers, she added, have also suffered significant losses, with crops destroyed across what she described as one of the parish’s primary agricultural areas. While some agricultural support has been provided, Burchell said it has been insufficient and unevenly distributed.

Concerns were also raised about the education sector, particularly the slow pace of school repairs. Although some institutions have received funding approvals, Burchell described the sums as “grossly inadequate” in many cases.