Thursday, September 3, 2026 marked the first anniversary of the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) historic third-term victory, having defeated the People’s National Party (PNP), 35-28, in the 2025 General Election.

This unprecedented success and triumphant return to Gordon House put a feather in the cap of Prime Minister Dr Andrew Michael Holness, thus solidifying his leadership of Alexander Bustamante’s party. However, the onslaught of Hurricane Melissa the following month, on October 28, may well have put a serious dent in his shining armour as there has been growing discontent regarding the way his Administration has been handling this ongoing crisis almost one year after.

While driving around the country, especially in western Jamaica, there is a persistent prevalence of “blues” — reflecting the tarpaulin that has been used to cover numerous roofs that were damaged by the hurricane and are yet to be replaced.

Andrew HolnessNaphtali Junior

Sad to say the tremendous goodwill and generosity that was displayed by countries, organisations, and individuals right across the globe have left a bittersweet taste in the mouths of many Jamaicans, who believed the Government has been too slow in its response to their needs and expectations. Indeed, there have been groans, hissing of teeth, and expressions of outright anger from the general citizenry who, in many instances, have had to “turn dem hand mek fashion” in a bid to survive.

Yes, it may be argued that action has been taken to deal with this ongoing crisis, but it is fair to say that, both quantitatively and qualitatively, the Holness Administration has been found wanting. Too many individuals are still crying out for help, while others who seek to access the formal system encounter bureaucratic bungling, roadblocks, and even political victimisation.

In this vein, it is no secret that some amount of partisan politics has been infused in the system, because reports are that people who are “green” adherents are highly favoured and more likely to get through as against those who may be neutral or are known to be of an “orange” persuasion; they must “suck salt through a wooden spoon”.

This is not to say that these actions are based on directives from Jamaica House or Belmont Road. But it is well known that political activists and partisan hacks will take it upon themselves to commandeer the system to effectively pursue the age-old practice on the grounds which dictates that “Parson must christen him pickney first.”

A significant number of schools in western parishes were damaged by Hurricane Melissa..

Against this backdrop, concerned citizens as well as civil society must intensify the call for greater levels of transparency and accountability. One burning question that is being repeatedly asked is whether some western parishes are being treated fairly and with much alacrity because the PNP rules the roost in terms of parliamentary representation.

Meanwhile, one major victim of the marauding Hurricane Melissa has been education, both in terms of the schools that were severely damaged as well as the disruption in the lives of students, many of whom will not be fully equipped to return to the classroom (where these are available or suitable for occupation).

It is well known that many students have resorted to scamming or other forms of hustling to help themselves and their families survive, and many teachers continue to live in subhuman conditions because of the slow pace in house repairs or the lack of sufficient support. Add to this the high cost of school books and other back-to-school financial obligations and it is safe to say the back-to-school experience for many is an ongoing nightmare.

Blue tarpaulin used as makeshift roofs continue to dot the landscape in western Jamaica.Charmaine N Clarke

Now, one is not blaming the Government for all that has gone wrong, but there is sufficient evidence to suggest that the powers that be could be more proactive rather than reactive. Indeed, there have been too many instances of officialdom responding only when the media shines a spotlight on some of these problems. Needless to say, even before the onslaught of Hurricane Melissa, the education system was already in crisis, this has now been further exacerbated by government vacillation or abject neglect.

In all of this, the Holness Administration is fortunate that the Opposition PNP has so far been very lacklustre and scatterbrained, providing very little by way of constructive solutions and strident advocacy. Notwithstanding this vacuum, the JLP should not sit on its laurels, because there is a seething anger building up in the populace, buoyed by the perception (or is it reality?) that the Government got a lot of hurricane relief money, but is holding on to it for reasons best known to it.

Meanwhile, many businesses are in the doldrums and banks are beginning to see a sharp rise in defaulted loans, not to mention the humongous $94 billion credit card overhang. to make matters worse, the fallout from Donald Trump’s war of choice with Iran continues to create serious economic headwinds that could derail Jamaica’s determined efforts to stay fiscally buoyant and resilient.

In the final analysis, Hurricane Melissa has spawned a multitude of woes, both real and imagined, that are helping to create much social unrest and pushback against Prime Minister Holness who many are blaming for not being on top of this troubling situation.

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Is it that the third-term triumph as well as a weak Mark Golding-led PNP have led him to believe that all is well while others insist that something is rotten in the State of Denmark?

“Brogad” is a very astute politician who fully understands the Jamaican psyche, but he must not allow his seemingly unassailable ascendancy to the heights of political power to lull him into a state of complacency and cause him to take the Jamaican people for granted.

Lloyd B Smith has been involved in Jamaican media for the past 50 years. He has also served as a Member of Parliament and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. He hails from western Jamaica where he is popularly known as the Governor. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or lbsmith4@gmail.com.