Minister Daryl Vaz Outlines Comprehensive National Readiness Measures Ahead of Tropical Storm Melissa
The Honourable Daryl Vaz, Minister of Transport, Telecommunications and Energy, detailed the coordinated actions being undertaken across energy, telecommunications, transport, and aviation sectors to safeguard critical infrastructure and ensure rapid response and recovery.
The Minister yesterday (October 23, 2025) updated the nation during a Special Press Briefing at Jamaica House on the country’s preparedness for Tropical Storm Melissa.
Minister Vaz noted that the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS), has taken decisive steps to enhance its readiness.
“JPS has reported to me that they have fully activated the command centres under the new incident command system and placed overseas line workers on standby with 31 of them already in Jamaica for pre-storm preparations to boost resilience,” said Minister Vaz.
The Minister continued: “Critical control and telecom sites now have 48-hour backup power and new Starlink systems for communication continuity. The company has expanded its fleet with over 115 specialized vehicles to enhance post-storm response. Vegetation management and grid reinforcement have been intensified, especially in key transmission areas across western and eastern parishes.”
Minister Vaz commended the utility company for its proactive measures, noting that its actions reflect lessons learned from Hurricane Beryl. “This is welcome news to me and it is obviously a result of our experiences with Beryl. I can see that the JPS is being proactive and I am confident that we will manage, if necessary, much better than we did before. You can rely on this administration and my colleague ministers and myself to be vigilant and to hold those accountable and responsible for an efficient response in all areas,” the Minister stated.
JPS President and CEO, Mr. Hugh Grant, assured the public that the company is fully mobilized and ready to respond. “JPS stands ready and prepared to respond to the storm. We have implemented a new incident command structure that streamlines communication, strengthens coordination with key agencies, and ensures faster restoration. We have already brought in 60 additional line workers from our Caribbean utility partners to boost our storm response capacity by over 30 percent. Once it is safe to do so, our teams will be out restoring power efficiently and safely.”
Mr Grant added that JPS has also ramped up vegetation management and infrastructure upgrades to reduce storm impact.
“We have removed trees along more than 7,000 kilometres of power lines, strengthened circuits supplying critical facilities such as hospitals and water systems, and installed smart devices to detect and reroute power during outages. Safety remains our north star, and the wellbeing of our workers and the public is our top priority.”
In the energy sector, Minister Vaz noted that Petrojam has activated its refinery emergency systems and confirmed over two weeks’ worth of refined products and ten days of LPG supplies. Loading facilities in Kingston and Montego Bay will extend operating hours to support pre-storm fuel deliveries, while Jamaica Aircraft Refueling Services (JARS) remains fully stocked to ensure uninterrupted aviation fuel supply.
Flow Jamaica and Digicel have activated their emergency operations centers, strengthened network resilience, and deployed backup generators across the island. Flow has enhanced power redundancy, while Digicel has formed a dedicated disaster response team and secured spare parts and mobile cell sites for rapid deployment.
The Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) will maintain service as long as conditions remain safe, with 30 buses assigned for emergency deployment across key depots. Highway operators have been placed on alert and may open toll booths free of charge if congestion occurs during the storm.
Minister Vaz also confirmed that both Norman Manley and Sangster International Airports have fully activated emergency protocols. Drainage clearing, power testing, and emergency supply staging are underway, with closures only triggered if a hurricane warning is issued.