Preliminary estimate of Beryl damage to schools set at almost $800 million

The Ministry of Education says a preliminary damage assessment of schools arising from Hurricane Beryl is estimated at over $797 million, which is expected to climb as it has not been able to assess all institutions due to ongoing access and communication challenges.

The Ministry says as at July 8, technical officers, through their post disaster assessments, have indicated that 100 schools in 6 of the 7 regions have been assessed and show millions in damage.

The assessment shows that the hurricane caused damage to five schools in Region 1 costing $600,000, no schools were affected in Region 2, while 34 schools in Region 3 were damaged at a cost of $240,800,000.

Over in Region 4, some 35 schools were impacted by the hurricane costing $246,650,000, while 17 schools suffered damage in Region 5 costing $224,000,000.

In Region 6, one school was damaged at a cost of $30,100,000 while eight were impacted in Region 7 leaving a repair bill of $55,700,000.

The education ministry says the majority of the preliminary estimate reflects schools in St Ann and Trelawny. 

Other schools in other parishes have been negatively impacted but due to the communications disruptions and impassable road conditions, the information has not been submitted or verified, the education ministry pointed out. 

It added that the preliminary submission does not account for any of the schools in Region 2 (St Mary, Portland and St Thomas) because of the disruptions in amenities. 

The education ministry says it is hoped that by this Friday all the post assessments will be completed so that prioritsation and procurement decisions can be undertaken.

The Education Ministry provided the below information on its Beryl assessment:

Central Ministry:

Heroes Circle and Caenwood Campus: The assessment highlighted significant issues in Buildings 1 and 2, necessitating urgent repairs to prevent further damage and ensure the buildings remain operational throughout the hurricane season.

The Jamaica Library Service

Of the 110 public libraries under the Jamaica Library Service, one of the most heavily trafficked branches, the Greater Portmore Branch, has suffered severe damage. The violent winds associated with Hurricane Beryl have stripped the facility of its roofing, resulting in its closure to the public until further notice. The Greater Portmore Branch serves 6,587 members from surrounding communities, and its closure has impacted the local populace significantly. In addition to the Greater Portmore Branch, other library locations across the island have reported minor water damage due to exacerbated leakages. The JLS is actively addressing these issues to prevent further deterioration and ensure the safety of library patrons and staff. Due to the infrastructural challenges faced, some planned summer program activities, which were geared to serve approximately 2,000 youth across the six regions, will be rescheduled. The Ministry understands the importance of these programmes and is working diligently to ensure they can proceed as soon as it is safe to do so.

Amidst the distress, JLS staff members across the network remain actively engaged in recovery efforts. Their primary focus is on securing high net-value property such as computers, printers, and book collections to minimise further loss. The JLS continues to collaborate with local authorities and the Ministry of Education and Youth to expedite the restoration of normalcy for the benefit of its clients.

We are pleased to report that, with the exception of the main library in St. Elizabeth, all main libraries in the parishes are open for public access. We urge the public to utilise these facilities while recovery efforts are underway.

Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA)

The majority of the CPFSA's child-care facilities and offices have only seen minimal damage caused by the passing of Hurricane Beryl. There was however major damage to the Manning's Child Care Facility in St. Elizabeth. Damage was done to the roofs of the facility's kitchen, main dining room, a dormitory and the farming equipment storeroom.

There was also damage done to some of our other childrens' homes and the CPFSA will be making contact with the National Works Agency and other government agencies to request repairs be made to those facilities. 

The Early Childhood Commission

The Ministry of Education and Youth is actively working with relevant authorities and service providers to ensure the swift restoration of services and infrastructure across the Early Childhood Commission's Kingston-based headquarters and all the ECC's affected 11 resource centres. We are committed to minimising disruption to the critical services provided by the ECC and ensuring the safety and well-being of all staff and children under our care.

Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.