Jamaica Disaster Relief Bypassing Rural St. James Parish Residents — Project Pickney Power & Minister of Parliament Nekeisha Burchell Urgently Appeal for Local and International Aid

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MONTEGO BAY, ST. JAMES — November 9, 2025

Entire rural communities in St. James, Jamaica remain completely cut off nearly two weeks after Category 5 Hurricane Melissa devastated the western half of the island — leaving residents without food, water, shelter, electricity, nor any government disaster relief. Project Pickney Power and Member of Parliament (MP) Nekeisha Burchell are urgently appealing for helicopter airlift support, emergency supplies, and international donor attention.

Critical Situation — Zero Aid Reaching Rural Communities

Communities in South St. James — including Bickersteth, Cambridge, Huntley Castle, Niagara, Horse Guards, Maroon Town, and other rural districts — are isolated by fallen trees and light poles, landslides, washed out roads, and river overflow. Families are trapped with no access to clean water, sanitation, medicine, nor communications. Roofs have been torn off homes, water tanks overturned, and residents are sleeping outside exposed to animals, mosquitoes and other pests, and disease.

“[Of] 5 different routes, we have only been able to clear 1 route [to Cambridge]… We need urgently food for our people who are marooned in places like Catadupa, in Jungle, in Awful Gully, we are calling for help for people in Retrieve… they were only able to get their dead out of the community 2 days ago… the [dead] cows are still floating… 2-storey houses are still under water.  Based on my estimation over 70% of the housing and agricultural stock has been lost in south St. James… 

I am asking you to help us airlift some food into the communities, to get the sick people out of the homes and into the hospital.  We have a pregnant mother we were able to get to the hospital… her baby was not moving anymore in her belly… we need the donations to come to us too…” said MP Nekeisha Burchell. 

Immediate Needs

Project Pickney Power is requesting the following life-saving items for direct household distribution:

• Food and potable water donations 

• Solar-powered portable generators

Both need to be airlifted from the airport, ports, and World Central Kitchen’s Montego Bay Convention Centre campsite right away to the rural shelters and homes. We are asking the government and international community to activate nonstop helicopter/private plane support until every household has access to food, water, and power.  Mafoota air strip may help as a rural landing area. 

Over 184,000 residents live in St. James, and thousands are currently stranded in pitch darkness without power, communication, nor medicine.

Other Ways to Help — Donations Go Directly to St.  James Families

Emergency Amazon Relief Registry (ships automatically to Montego Bay via freight forwarder):

https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/ZPUW0ALN5ZWS 

• Solar-powered portable generators

• 72-hour survival backpacks with non-perishable food, puncture proof water packs

More visuals, footage, and parish-wide updates can be viewed here: https://www.projectpickneypower.org 

Media Contacts

MP Nekeisha Burchell
Email: mp.southstjames@gmail.com
WhatsApp: +1.876.844.9155
Instagram: @burchelllovessouth
X (Twitter): @nykybella

Director Michelle Bajraktarevic

Email: projectpickneypower@gmail.com 

Whatsapp: +1.404.590.1882

Instagram: @projectpickneypower

Website: www.projectpickneypower.org 

About Project Pickney Power

Project Pickney Power was established in 2025 by a born Jamaican with extensive experience in business intelligence and manufacturing/supply chain management to bring a more agile and direct approach to removing red tape around charity work getting done and delivering directly to Jamaican children and their families the solutions that solve problems both today and tomorrow. Our work began with the adoption of Cambridge High School, now our flagship initiative.

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