WESTERN BUREAU:Black River Mayor Richard Solomon says St Elizabeth remains dangerously unprepared for the Atlantic hurricane season, which begins in another two weeks, with more than half of its emergency shelters left unusable after Hurricane Melissa’s destruction last year.Speaking at Thursday’s monthly St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation (StEMC) meeting, Solomon said inspections hadve already been completed on over 80 per cent of shelters across the parish, many of them schools and community centres badly damaged during the hurricane.“More than 50 per cent of our shelters that we would have assessed already are not in a position to accommodate sheltering if we were to be hit by a hurricane,” said Solomon.“Over 60 per cent of what was assessed is in no condition to facilitate any shelterees,” he added, warning that even a minor weather system could overwhelm the parish.“Now ask yourself the question, if we get a little tropical storm now, what will be our position?” His cries come amid growing public outrage after the findings of a real-time audit by the Auditor General’s Department released on Tuesday revealed that four months after the passing of the Category 5 hurricane, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) had spent only $26 million, or 1.8 per cent of the $1.44 billion in cash donations to assist Jamaicans devastated by the storm. Up to April, the figures remained unchanged.Solomon said the Ministry of Local Government and Community Development, the StEMC, and disaster response agencies weare fully aware of the crisis. He admitted that officials weare still scrambling to secure alternative shelter spaces, including churches.“We are not at a good place, but nonetheless, we are still looking. We are still seeking alternative shelters,” he informed fellow councillors and parish officials at the meeting.He noted that the Government hads assisted churches with clean-up and restoration efforts because of the role they may now have to play during emergencies.“We might have to look to some of our churches this time around in terms of accommodating some of our shelterees,” the mayor said said, while expressing gratitude for the partnership with the churches. The crisis has also forced the StEMC to search for a new disaster command centre outside Black River after emergency responders themselves became stranded during Hurricane Melissa.“We are actively looking for a command centre that we can function from in the event of another hurricane. Black River will not be our command centre. We are actively exploring different sites because we are looking for the most suitable place,” he said. “What we don’t want this time around is to be rescued and not be responding. That is exactly what happened during Melissa. We could not respond. We were marooned; we were trapped.”Describing the situation as deeply troubling, Solomon admitted that the uncertainty has been weighing heavily on him.“It’s not an easy task where we are at this point in time, and it is really a cause for concern. It is giving me sleepless nights. While some of us can run to a decked place, what about those who still haven’t put on their roof yet?” he asked.Adding to the pressure, Solomon revealed that several volunteer shelter managers who served during previous disasters are now reluctant to return.“What I am hearing now, some of them are not willing to continue to act in that position because they would have to be leaving their personal space to come and manage a shelter, and they, too, are impacted,” he explained.In an emotional appeal, Solomon urged community leaders and residents to help recruit new shelter managers ahead of the season.“So, I am appealing, I am begging, that we start to identify and promote shelter managers. We are going to need shelter managers in the community centres, we are going to need them in the schools,” he said. “It is very, very important. It is cause for concern, and I am hoping for the best.”