Concerns over fairness in Hurricane Melissa Relief distribution

As residents of western Jamaica work to rebuild their lives after Hurricane Melissa, questions are emerging about the fairness of ongoing relief efforts.

George Miller, a justice of the peace in Santa Cruz, St Elizabeth, warns that some individuals may be receiving more aid than they need, while others struggle on minimal support.

"Some people will get more than they need. They will just push themselves upfront and plead for help, all when somebody else already give them," he said. "That's how Jamaicans stay even when them get enough; them ago want get more."

Miller recalled a recent trip to Montego Bay, St James, where he witnessed children holding signs asking for aid.

"When someone drops off a package, them run go put it down a them house and run come back on the street begging for more," he said.

Despite these challenges, Miller remains cautiously optimistic about the resilience of communities in the hurricane's path.

"Mi believe that at the end of this, people a guh open shops. You a guh find a lot of people starting businesses out of it," he added.

A vendor along Santa Cruz main road echoed Miller's observations, noting that some residents receive assistance multiple times from different donors.

"Mi see it happen. People in the main area get help from one team, and when the next group comes, they don't say they already got something. Instead, they take it again," she said.

The vendor admitted she personally benefited from friends sharing surplus aid.

"Mi grateful for what mi get, but the truth is some people keep taking without saying they're okay already. Food and materials will sell, because once people start taking it, they keep taking," she explained.

Across western Jamaica, good Samaritans have also been stepping in to distribute much-needed food, water, and supplies. The support comes in addition to government-coordinated relief efforts, helping to reach communities that might otherwise be overlooked.

Authorities say they are working to streamline aid distribution, emphasising proper registration and verification systems to ensure supplies reach the most vulnerable, particularly in remote areas. Commander Alvin Gayle, director general of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management, said the agency continues to coordinate with government bodies, local authorities, the private sector, and international partners to distribute aid efficiently and equitably, minimizing waste and diversion.

"A disaster relief inventory management system is in the final phase of testing and will soon be rolled out across all our warehouses, strengthening our accountability framework," Gayle said.

Meanwhile, Miller hopes that accountability will improve. "Them haffi find a way fi make sure the help reach everybody fairly. Too much time the same people get everything while others still inna wants," he said.

Despite his concerns, Miller remains hopeful that relief will reach those who need it most. "I do hope that the people who really need the relief get the help they need to survive," he said.