Clean-Up, Not Reconstruction: Holness Explains What the $75 Million for Churches Will Pay For

• The PM said the $75 million for churches is for debris removal and clean-up
• It is meant for churches with collapsed roofs and walls after Hurricane Melissa
• The Social Development Commission will assess churches and disburse the money
• The government said it was also arranging affordable financing for reconstruction

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness moved in January 2026 to clarify what the government’s $75 million allocation to hurricane-damaged churches is for. It is for clean-up, not rebuilding, the Gleaner reported.

Holness said the money “is to assist churches that have suffered damage, such as collapsed roofs and walls,” by paying for debris clearance so that repairs can begin. Minister of Local Government Desmond McKenzie confirmed that the Social Development Commission would carry out assessments and handle disbursements, and churches were told to contact their local offices for guidance.

The allocation had drawn criticism. St Catherine South Western MP Everald Warmington argued that taxpayers’ money should not go to religious institutions. Bishop Dr Alvin Bailey, president of the Jamaica Evangelical Alliance, responded that churches are “fundamental constructs of the Nation” alongside the state.

The context was the scale of the disaster. The Gleaner noted that Melissa, which made landfall on October 28 as the strongest storm to strike Jamaica, caused at least 45 deaths and more than US$8.8 billion in damage. The government also said it was arranging affordable financing options to help with reconstruction.

The distinction matters for church finances. A clean-up grant removes rubble and makes a site safe; it does not replace a roof or rebuild a wall. Congregations will still have to fund reconstruction themselves, through insurance, savings, loans or donations — and those without insurance face the hardest road.

For diaspora members raising money for home churches, the message is clear: the state’s contribution is limited to the first step. The real cost of rebuilding sits with the congregation and its supporters, and that is where overseas giving will count most.

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