Holness hits back at Beenie Man over criticism of Hurricane Melissa recovery

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has criticized dancehall veteran Beenie Man and other detractors of the Government’s Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts, urging them to acknowledge the progress made as Jamaica continues to rebuild.

Speaking Wednesday at the reopening of the Black River Hospital in St. Elizabeth, Holness said critics should recognize the Government’s spending on recovery projects while also acknowledging shortcomings in the response.

He singled out Beenie Man, whose recent comments about the distribution of hurricane relief donations have drawn attention to concerns about accountability and assistance reaching affected Jamaicans.

“As I perused the list of invitees … I thought to myself the Minister [of Health] neglected to invite Beenie Man because then he would see for himself firsthand how the Government has been spending on the recovery,” Holness said.

The prime minister noted that more than $300 million had been spent to repair the Black River Hospital, which was badly damaged by Hurricane Melissa. He said the expenditure was part of a $3.8 billion allocation to the health sector following the storm and pointed to work on nearly 10 health centers in St. Elizabeth as further evidence of the recovery effort.

Holness acknowledged that the response had not been perfect but argued that Jamaica’s recovery should be assessed in the context of the country’s resources and the scale of the disaster.

“The response has not been perfect. But in a disaster, you can't compare the government response to perfection. You have to compare it to its peers,” he said.

He also cited the restoration of electricity in Jamaica compared with Puerto Rico, arguing that Jamaica’s recovery had progressed more quickly.

Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica as a Category 5 storm a year ago, causing widespread damage and placing significant pressure on the country’s infrastructure and public services.

Holness described the hurricane as exceptionally devastating and said its impact underscored the scale of the rebuilding challenge.

“Don't tell me you love Jamaica, and the first thing you want to do is to tear down Jamaica,” he said. “As we reflect on the anniversary, yes, we must say loudly the things that have not gone correctly. But equally, we must say loudly the things that have gone well.”

Beenie Man questions relief spending

Beenie Man criticized the Government’s handling of donations intended to help Jamaicans affected by the hurricane during an interview with ITV News in the United Kingdom.

The entertainer questioned whether relief funds were reaching the people who needed assistance and raised concerns about accountability in the distribution of donations.

An auditor general’s report found that, as of Feb. 23, 2026, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) had spent $26.2 million, or 1.8%, of the $1.44 billion donated following Hurricane Melissa.

Referring to concerns about how public funds are distributed, Beenie Man said the issue was not new.

“This is nothing new that the Government get the money, the Government distribute the money the wrong way. The people who supposed to get the money haven’t been getting any,” he said.

“These things, it’s a regular thing that happens. The money comes in and you nuh see where it go.”

The entertainer said addressing the issue required a collective effort from Jamaicans to demand accountability rather than relying on individual public figures to speak out.

“It's not for me to talk of it. It's for the whole country to come up and stand up as one,” he added.