As the sun rose over Jamaica in early November 2025, the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa revealed a nation both battered and resilient. The strongest Atlantic hurricane ever to make landfall on the island, Melissa unleashed winds of up to 185 miles per hour, carving a path of destruction through central and western parishes and leaving scars on communities, infrastructure, and the national psyche. For a country long lauded for its fiscal discipline and climate preparedness, the storm posed an unprecedented test—one that would demand not only local resolve but also international solidarity and innovative solutions.
According to S&P Global Ratings, Jamaica had been a model of responsible governance, maintaining a primary surplus above 3 percent of GDP for over a decade and earning a rare credit rating upgrade to BB- in September 2025. Yet, as Hurricane Melissa approached, all the careful planning in the world seemed powerless against nature’s fury. Towns like Montego Bay and Black River were devastated, with at least 40 percent of buildings and roads in the west suffering damage. In some communities, the destruction was so complete it looked, as one observer put it, "as if an atomic blast had torn through it."
The numbers tell a sobering story. The hurricane inflicted nearly eight billion US dollars in damage—an amount almost half of Jamaica’s annual GDP, as reported by the Atlantic Council and corroborated by Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who also confirmed that at least 32 people lost their lives. The storm surge and torrential rains did not spare critical infrastructure, flattening hospitals, roads, and homes. In the port town of Black River, most structures were left uninhabitable, and the regional hospital in Falmouth found itself at the epicenter of the crisis.
Inside the Falmouth hospital, the scene was one of chaos and courage. Donna-Marie Hamilton-Wallace, the head of nursing, described the harrowing moments when floodwaters swept through the lower level: "It was devastating for the patients and the staff, the lower level was flooded because of the storm surge and we had to create a human chain to evacuate them to the higher level," she told the BBC. "It was frightening but I'm glad patients and staff are all okay."
The hospital’s challenges didn’t end with the receding waters. High winds had ripped off roofs, the boiler room was submerged under four feet of water, and the laundry—essential for clean bedding and scrubs—was left exposed to the elements. Orderlies worked without sleep, clearing debris and salvaging what they could. The resilience of the hospital staff was matched by the arrival of help from near and far: the Royal Navy’s HMS Trent, Army Commandos, and a Spanish team building a field hospital all joined the recovery effort, as reported by the BBC.
Machelle Stubbs, the hospital’s chief medical officer, highlighted the strain on her team: "Many of our staff are still here, working," she said. "Not getting a chance to look after their own personal challenges, that compounds the problems even more. Fortunately we're getting relief from other parts of the island and other international agencies." The hospital CEO, Keriesa Bell Cummings, echoed this sentiment, noting, "It's traumatising it really is but as the leader here I have to stay strong." She added, "A lot of material support, relief, tools, labour, food, we asked for it and it's now coming."
The scale of the disaster extended far beyond Falmouth. Across Jamaica, heaps of twisted building material, waterlogged equipment, and makeshift washing lines told the story of a nation in recovery mode. Communications remained patchy, with WhatsApp and phone service unreliable, making coordination a daily challenge. Yet, as Ms. Cummings observed, "this week is better than last," a sentiment that resonated throughout the island as communities clung to hope.
Jamaica’s path to recovery, however, will require more than hope. The country had prudently arranged a $150 million parametric catastrophe bond with the World Bank in 2024, designed to trigger payouts after major disasters. Given the scale of Hurricane Melissa’s impact, the bond is expected to pay out its full value. Still, with damage estimates reaching $8 billion, this insurance covers only a fraction of what’s needed to rebuild.
The enormity of the task ahead has prompted calls for innovative financing and robust public-private partnerships. As the Atlantic Council noted, Jamaica will need $5.8 billion just to restore and upgrade road infrastructure, and another $1.4 billion for telecommunications, including broadband and 4G networks. These needs open the door for creative investment models, involving multilateral development banks, insurance companies, and US firms seeking to de-risk their participation through collaboration with local partners.
One promising avenue is the expansion of public-private partnerships, where government guarantees and subsidies help attract private capital while ensuring that projects remain rooted in the national interest. The Inter-American Development Bank’s One Caribbean program, for example, aims to strengthen such collaborations and manage political risk. Local equity participation is seen as vital, maximizing national benefits and ensuring sustainability over the long term.
Building trust with local businesses—many of which are family-owned and deeply embedded in their communities—is also crucial. US investors are encouraged to join local business organizations, participate in trade missions, and engage directly with Jamaican partners to understand regulations, identify talent, and ensure project success. Environmental and social impact assessments, updated building codes, and improved infrastructure standards—like hurricane-proof glass and underground piping—are all part of a comprehensive recovery strategy.
Insurance will play a key role in keeping projects afloat during inevitable delays and stoppages caused by future natural disasters. At the same time, new investments must focus on renewable energy, resilient housing, digital connectivity, and other sectors where US expertise can make an immediate difference. The partnership between governments, the private sector, and civil society is not just about rebuilding structures—it’s about fortifying the island against the next storm.
For all its fiscal discipline and climate-smart policies, Jamaica cannot shoulder this burden alone. As the Atlantic Council put it, "Jamaica has kept its promises: it has delivered disciplined fiscal reform, climate-smart policies, and innovation in risk financing. It has done what the international system asks of developing nations. Now, it needs that system, and its closest ally, the United States, to respond."
Hurricane Melissa tested Jamaica’s strength and found it unbreakable but not inexhaustible. The island’s recovery will be a marathon, not a sprint, and its success will depend on the willingness of allies, investors, and the global community to match Jamaica’s resolve with meaningful action.
