‘We not leaving Parottee’: Jamaica residents resist relocation after hurricane

Residents of the seaside community of Parottee in Jamaica are pushing back against Prime Minister Andrew Holness's plan to relocate them following severe damage from Hurricane Melissa. The prime minister announced that the coastal community, which was hard hit by the storm, would benefit from relocation efforts, including the provision of container homes.

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We don’t want to relocate here in Parottee. We want to stay here and build Parottee. The Government wants to relocate us… I am a third generation fisherman.

Holness stated that the cost of reconstruction in Parottee would be higher than saving existing homes. He assured residents that the relocation process would preserve their livelihoods, assets, and dignity, involving them at every step. The National Housing Trust, Urban Development Corporation, and St. Elizabeth Municipal Corporation are partnering on the initiative, with the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority playing a coordinating role.

However, some Parottee residents, particularly fishermen and tour guides, are adamant about staying. Ridge Harvey, a third-generation fisherman and owner of Captain Ridge Boat Tours, expressed strong opposition to the relocation and the idea of living in container homes. He emphasized that the community's livelihood is intrinsically tied to the sea and the local pond, used for fishing and tourism.

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The majority of us live off the sea and the pond in Parottee. We do tourism and we catch fish, so we really don’t want to relocate. What Andrew [Holness] is talking about is not right… We do not want no relocation and we do not want to live in a hot container house.

Harvey also pointed out that many residents are already rebuilding their homes independently, showcasing entrepreneurial spirit. He insisted that the government's plan is misguided and that the community prefers to rebuild in Parottee, where they have established foundations and are actively working to restore their properties. The residents' determination highlights a conflict between government-led recovery efforts and the community's desire for self-determination and preservation of their traditional way of life.

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The majority of the people here are building back their houses. The majority of people here are entrepreneurs, so people are building back. People are fixing up their house. People build houses that hit down from the old foundation to now they have five bedrooms, six bedrooms, so now people are building.