May 14, 2026

Jamaica’s disaster response system has come under renewed scrutiny after a real-time audit found that only a small share of funds donated for Hurricane Melissa recovery had been spent as at February 23, 2026.

The audit, conducted by the Auditor General’s Department and tabled in Parliament, found that the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management had received JMD$1.44 billion in donations by February 23. However, JMD$26.2 million, or 1.8 per cent, had been spent by that date. The audit reviewed financial management and procurement under the Government’s Hurricane Melissa Relief Initiative and Roof Restoration Programme.

Auditor General Pamela Monroe Ellis said the findings pointed to weaknesses in financial oversight, governance, procurement monitoring, and beneficiary verification. She noted that limited spending, along with unreported and unspent balances from previous hurricane relief efforts, reduced transparency over the use of disaster response resources.

The report showed that ODPEM held approximately JMD$569.6 million and US$5.9 million in hurricane donation accounts as at February 23. These balances included leftover funds from Hurricane Beryl relief efforts in 2024. Auditors said ODPEM did not provide sufficient information on how much had been collected and spent after Hurricane Beryl, making it difficult to determine whether the remaining funds were linked to active projects or delays in execution.

Concerns were also raised about donations processed through the Government’s Support Jamaica platform. According to the audit, a private financial institution retained 30 per cent of donations for 45 days to cover possible refund claims, but ODPEM had no formal written agreement governing the arrangement. Auditors also said they could not independently verify whether withheld funds were eventually deposited into ODPEM accounts because supporting bank statements were not provided.

The Government’s roof restoration programme was another area of concern. ODPEM reported that 421 roofs were repaired with support from the Jamaica Defence Force and a foreign military team, but auditors said verification was limited because key records were incomplete or missing. These included beneficiary selection criteria, approval documents, evidence of damage assessments, and completion reports.

The audit also found gaps in the tracking of roofing materials. Of JMD$122.5 million in supplies delivered to JDF locations, JMD$88.6 million was formally acknowledged as received. The remaining JMD$34 million, representing 27.8 per cent of delivered materials, lacked signed delivery slips or goods received notes, leaving those deliveries unverified.

Procurement practices were also questioned, as three of four roofing material contracts were awarded to suppliers that did not have valid procurement registration or current tax compliance documentation at the time. The report also highlighted governance weaknesses involving the National Disaster Fund, including missing financial reports and the absence of a dedicated bank account.

The audit points to accountability gaps in the management of disaster relief resources as at February 23, 2026. While recovery work has continued since then, the findings underscore the need for stronger oversight, clearer reporting, and improved controls to ensure donated funds and supplies are used efficiently and reach affected communities.

Source: (Caribbean National Weekly)