KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Friday said it had entered into a new partnership with the government of Australia to establish three additional solar-powered community centres in fishing communities hit by Hurricane Melissa last October.
The UNDP said that the J$9.2 million (One Jamaican dollar = 0.008 cents) builds on the community centres delivered to Parottee and Galleon Beach in St. Elizabeth last week.
It said that when completed, the number of solar energy centres supported by UNDP will increase to five, with more in the works for other fishing villages impacted by Melissa that hit the island last October, causing damage in excess of US$9.9 million and killing at least 45 people.
UNDP Resident Representative, Dr Kishan Khoday, said the UNDP intends to replicate and scale similar solutions across other vulnerable communities.
With the delivery of the two solutions last week, more than 300 fishers who lost their livelihoods to Hurricane Melissa can now secure cold storage to preserve their post-harvest catch, along with Starlink internet and charging stations – all powered by the sun.
Serving 250 fishers in Parottee and 50 in Galleon, St Elizabeth, the two fully air-conditioned solar energy community centres are each powered by eight photovoltaic panels generating 5600 watts of energy, lithium battery storage, a Starlink unit, and chest freezers. Two boat engines were also handed over to the Galleon community for shared use by its fishing community.
Donated by UNDP in partnership with the National Fisheries Authority (NFA) and the Jamaica 4H Foundation under UNDP’s Jamaica Resilient Recovery Initiative (JARRI), the centres supply clean, affordable energy at zero cost to the fishing communities.
“Though modest in scale, these systems send a strong message: clean energy can support livelihoods, strengthen food security, and help communities recover stronger than before,” Dr. Khoday said, adding that the initiative reflects UNDP’s approach to recovery: rebuilding in ways that reduce future risk while supporting long-term sustainable development.
“As climate change continues to intensify risks for Small Island Developing States like Jamaica, solutions such as these show what climate-smart recovery can look like in practice.”
Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Minister, Floyd Green, called for the installation of model mobile solar-powered centres in fishing villages across Jamaica to support fisher livelihoods in and out of season and to strengthen food security.
He said the centres tick all the boxes related to sustainability, climate resilience, and building back better. Green said rebuilding livelihoods is key to rebuilding communities impacted by the hurricane and requires strong partnerships, while lauding the fishing community for their resilience, acknowledging their self-reliance and drive when given opportunities.
NFA chief executive officer Dr Gavin Bellamy said the solar facilities marked another significant step forward on the path to recovery and long-term resilience. He said the NFA has been providing immediate relief to fishing communities, including wire supplies to replace lost or damaged fish pots and facilitating license replacements, renewals, and registrations.
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