Andrew Holness Challenges Beenie Man Over Hurricane Relief Criticism

Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness has answered Beenie Man’s criticism of the government’s hurricane recovery effort with a blunt suggestion: “Go make a song of it.” The remark came Wednesday at a scholarship awards ceremony in St Andrew, where Holness addressed students and defended the response to Hurricane Melissa. Beenie Man, whose legal name is Moses Davis, had questioned in an ITV News interview whether donated relief money was reaching the people who needed it. He then released “Weh Di Money Deh,” a track highlighting the struggles of Jamaicans still rebuilding after the Category 5 storm. The dispute has since moved beyond music and into a public argument over aid and accountability. Holness cited government figures to make his case. He said the National Housing Trust had spent about $13.3 billion on hurricane assistance, including $2.9 billion in grants to 7,600 Jamaicans. Those individual grants, he said, ranged from $75,000 to $500,000. He also put direct government assistance at close to $12 billion and said officials were seeking another $9.6 billion for outstanding needs. The figures also show why questions about the pace of recovery persist. Of roughly 110,000 households identified as needing help, a little more than 50,000 had received support, according to Holness. He acknowledged that many Jamaicans had yet to get assistance, while arguing that it was fair to debate how quickly aid arrived or whether the grant amounts were sufficient. What he rejected, however, was the claim that the government had done nothing. Holness warned that such statements, including claims circulating on social media, could undermine confidence in public institutions. Addressing the scholarship recipients, he urged them to defend their society rather than simply defend the government, saying that damaging society would ultimately harm them too. The exchange leaves two arguments in view: the government’s account of billions spent and the unanswered needs reflected in its own household figures. Beenie Man’s song has given that debate a soundtrack, while Holness has used his public platform to push back against what he considers an unfair description of the response.