Jamaica is mobilizing international expertise and substantial financial resources to spearhead its monumental recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Melissa, which inflicted a staggering $8.8 billion in damages. Matthew Samuda, Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, confirmed that architectural and engineering specialists are scheduled to arrive on the island by January to assist with national reconstruction planning and redesign.
The government is actively pursuing grant funding between $5 million and $20 million from the recently launched $250 million Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD). During a December 18th tour of devastated communities in St. Elizabeth and Westmoreland, Minister Samuda led FRLD representatives through severely impacted areas including Black River, Parottee, Whitehouse, and Bluefields to demonstrate the catastrophic scale of destruction to homes, public buildings, and critical infrastructure.
Minister Samuda emphasized the urgent need for transformational changes in Jamaica’s construction approach, stating: ‘We’ve been warning about genuine climate risks for years. Witnessing mangled steel and iron firsthand underscores that we must build fundamentally differently to manage future disaster potentials.’ He noted that despite FRLD support not solving all challenges, the government is pursuing every available funding avenue through the Climate Change Division and Planning Institute of Jamaica, including the Green Climate Fund and Global Environment Facility.
Executive Director of FRLD, Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, expressed profound urgency after witnessing the devastation, confirming the fund’s commitment to supporting both infrastructure rebuilding and human recovery efforts for displaced families. ‘Jamaica isn’t waiting for the world to rebuild, and we’re honored to participate in their solution,’ Diong remarked.
Local officials including Black River Mayor Richard Solomon acknowledged that while progress has been made, the situation remains overwhelming, with the tour bringing renewed hope that substantial additional support is forthcoming for long-term recovery efforts.