UPDATE ON POST MELISSA ACTIVITIES ACROSS ST ANN
OCHO RIOS, Friday, Nov. 14, 2025
This is a notebook to be published regularly, to which you may contribute
Just send any comment by WhatsApp to 876-503-9995 about what’s happening where you are in the aftermath of Melissa. You may also ask questions for which we’ll try to get answers. Also, reach us by email at [email protected]
GENERAL NEEDS
Though St Ann was not as battered as were Western parishes, parts of the garden parish, especially in the west, were hit hard. In a statement Thursday, Nov. 13, the St Ann Chamber of Commerce said: “There is a prevailing concern that many of the hardest-hit communities in St. Ann have not received the level of attention and resources urgently needed to restore normalcy and hope to residents.”
(Volunteers before hitting the road to take supplies to needy people in St Ann. Ocho Rios Chamber President says there is a great need to be filled).
Further, President Dr Ransford Davidson said, “Many residents remain in desperate need of care packages, hygiene products, and other basic essentials.”
ELECTRICITY
There is continuing speculation about when some parts of St Ann will get electricity. People in the far south fear the worst, though many poles are not down in areas such as Calderwood and Alexandria. Parts of Cave Valley are still underwater.
The parts of the JPS system that seem to have taken the most battering from Melissa are between Salem and Runaway Bay, where several wooden and concrete poles crashed to the ground, and others are hanging precariously, held by stretched wires.
(Ocho Rios Craft Market)
Drax Hall, Ocho Rios, and many of its communities have had electricity supplies since Sunday or Monday. Speaking at a Press conference on Thursday, Nov. 14, Minister of Energy Daryl Vaz said nearly two-thirds of JPS customers in Jamaica have electricity. “Current focus is now on Hanover, where teams are working to improve performance, and in St. Ann’s Bay, Runaway Bay, and Discovery Bay where crews are rebuilding and strengthening network connections,” he said.
CASH
(Waiting outside the bank for the cash)
Cash is King and is hard to come by. Lines with as many as 200 people are common at the major bank branches in Ocho Rios and St Ann’s Bay. People form queues at remittance outlets as early as 7:30 for 9 a.m. opening. Lines remain throughout the day
FOOD:
The town centres are dirty and disorganized. Sidewalks and parking areas are overrun with vending. Road frontage in Brown’s Town continues to be illegally cordoned off by merchants, adding to the chaos.
(Garbage piled next to food vending in St Ann’s Bay)
Food prices at the markets continue on the up and up. Per pound costs: Yam $400-$500, sweet potato $300; sweet pepper $600, tomato $500-$700. All fruits are scarce. Oranges are $1,200 to $2,000 a dozen. The avocado (pear) has disappeared.
COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS
SOME schools have started very limited face-to-face operations, and more are scheduled to start welcoming students on Monday, Nov 17, especially for those sitting PEP and CSEC exams.
(open spaces in roofs or no roofs are common)
Brown’s Town Community College was very badly damaged. No date has been set for the resumption of classes there.
Moneague College has been issuing regular advisories to students and faculty. The college’s main campus remains without water and electricity. They say psychosocial student engagement at the main campus will be arranged as soon as these critical services are restored. The college in its bulletin issued Friday, Nov 14, says “Every effort is being made for the resumption of academic instructions before or by Monday, November 24, 2025 once electricity and water services are restored on all campuses.” More details here SOME ST ANN SCHOOLS OPENING
POST OFFICES:
Most of the major pot offices are not offering service, including Ocho Rios, Discovery Bay, Runaway Bay, St Ann’s Bay and Claremont, though Brown’s Town remains closed.
