Government will protect Jamaica squatters during disasters, says minister

A minister in Jamaica has warned those who reside in “informal settlements” that the government will act however it sees fit in the event of a disaster.

The comments come at the opening of the 2017 hurricane season, which began on 1 June.

Desmond McKenzie, minister local government and community development, explained that the country’s leader could take action to protect vulnerable people, as well as squatters.

"Under the Disaster Risk Act, the prime minister can declare any place as a threatened or disaster area," McKenzie said in his main address at the launch of Disaster Preparedness Month.

"The measures include orders of evacuation of certain areas or instructions for people to leave any particular premises. Once the order is made, it is up to the director general and the ODPEM (Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management) team to move in and execute that order."

Almost 600 ‘squatter settlements’

According to McKenzie, there are 754 residential informal settlements in Jamaica – with a popular of around 600,000.

"Approximately 20% of the country's population resides in informal settlements, and in the context of hurricanes, these areas are especially prone to flooding, landslides, and storm surges,” the minister said.

“There are 585 such squatter settlements that have been mapped out in the country. One hundred and thirty-eight of them are within 100 metres of waterways.

More than 50% of squatter settlements in Kingston, St Andrew and St Thomas are within 100 metres of waterways."

The 2017 Atlantic hurricane Season ends on November 30.