Mayor of Savanna-la-mar, Danree Delancy, says following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, some communities in Westmoreland may remain without electricity until May 2026.

Delancy, who is also Councillor of the Bethel Town Division, says he received the update from Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Jamaica Public Service (JPS) Hugh Grant during a recent meeting.

According to the mayor, while sections of Negril and the Savanna-la-mar Public Hospital have been reconnected to the grid, large parts of the parish remain in the dark.

He also raised concerns that businesses are struggling to recover because of the prolonged power outage. 

Mayor Delancy noted that even companies relying on generators are facing mounting costs, making it difficult to remain operational.

The mayor added that the extended outage could trigger significant job losses, as Westmoreland is a major tourism parish and several hotels remain closed.