Amidst indications that Black River in St Elizabeth, which was ravaged by Hurricane Melissa October last year, will be rebuilt further inland, unknown petitioners have launched a campaign seeking to have the ruins of the seaside town’s historic courthouse “retained and incorporated into any future plans for Black River”.

The courthouse was reduced to rubble by the hurricane which struck Jamaica on October 28 at Category 5 strength wreaking catastrophe on the island’s south-western and western coasts.

The storied building, according to the website of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust, has no known date of construction, but is believed to be more than a century old. According to the trust, the building was, in its heyday, described as presenting a fine appearance from the sea, at once attracting the attention of visitors.

Up to Wednesday this week the ‘Save the remains of the Black River Courthouse’ campaign launched on the Jamaica House Petition online portal on May 4, had garnered 1,699 signatures, 11.33 per cent of the 15,000 goal. It will close on July 30.

The petitioners, in noting that the courthouse is “one of only two heritage buildings along the iconic seafront that still has substantial remains standing” the other being the Parish Church, said “the ruins of the current courthouse are a standing reminder of Black River’s celebrated heritage, and are perfectly placed for incorporation into any serious plan to develop the tourism potential of the town”.

“The ruins could be reinforced and left to stand proudly as they are, as an attraction for the many travellers who roam the world to visit historic ruins. Alternatively, the ground floor could be repaired and repurposed for use as a museum/performing arts centre, harking back to the days when the lower floor of the Black River Courthouse was used as the town hall, hosting concerts, plays, and meetings,” they said further.

Noting that Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness in March indicated that a new courthouse for Black River will be built further inland, and that the Black River seafront will be used as a corridor for tourism, including heritage tourism, the petitioners said “the courthouse is one of the defining monuments of Black River, a grounding reminder to our residents of where we are, and who we are — the proud people of Black River. This petition asks that the ruins of the Black River Courthouse not be demolished, but be retained and incorporated into any future plans for Black River”.

Prime Minister Holness, making his contribution to the 2026/27 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives in March, said the destruction caused by the Category 5 hurricane has forced a fundamental rethink of development patterns, warning that rebuilding in the same way would leave Black River exposed to repeated disaster.

“We will not rebuild Black River as it was. We will rebuild it as it should be, and in so doing create something this town has never possessed in its 300 years of history — a real, planned, consolidated urban core,” Holness said then.

He told the House that a redevelopment plan, led by Urban Development Corporation, will shift essential public functions inland to areas considered safer from flooding and storm surge. Under the proposal, facilities such as hospitals, courts, government offices, markets, and transport hubs would be consolidated within a newly designed urban centre.

He said the redesigned town will feature a civic square, public green spaces, and modern infrastructure engineered to withstand Category 5 hurricane conditions, noting that buildings are to be elevated and supported by upgraded drainage systems, utility corridors, and built-in redundancy to ensure services can continue even during extreme weather events.

According to the Petition Policy, any Jamaican citizen can create or sign a petition. To qualify for review a petition must get 15,000 signatures within 40 days. If it meets agreed upon standards, the Office of the Prime Minister will issue an official response.

All petitions are reviewed before being published on the portal. If they do not meet the terms of participation, they are not published.