In the wake of Hurricane Melissa, the Jamaican government has launched a comprehensive recovery initiative for Ocho Rios, focusing on restoring its tourism and business sectors. Delano Seiveright, State Minister in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce (MIIC), emphasized the urgency of this effort, particularly for small businesses that are vital to the local economy. Seiveright, alongside Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, conducted an extensive assessment of the Ocho Rios corridor to evaluate hotel readiness, attraction recovery, craft market conditions, and the status of micro and small enterprises.
Seiveright highlighted the collaborative nature of the recovery process, describing it as a ‘whole-of-Government effort.’ He noted that Minister Aubyn Hill has been spearheading national initiatives to restore business operations, mobilizing MIIC teams across multiple parishes and coordinating with partners in manufacturing, retail, services, utilities, and logistics.
A significant milestone in the recovery process is the reopening of the Ocho Rios Cruise Port, which had been closed since February 2024 for major repairs. The port is crucial for Jamaica’s cruise tourism and small-business ecosystem, providing opportunities for craft traders, transport operators, artisans, restaurants, and retailers. Seiveright also addressed the severe impact of Hurricane Melissa on craft vendors, many of whom lost inventory, stalls, and weeks of income. He reaffirmed MIIC’s commitment to collaborating with the tourism ministry, the Urban Development Corporation, local authorities, and private-sector partners to support these operators.
Seiveright stressed the importance of stabilizing utilities—water, electricity, telecommunications—and ensuring safe transportation links as recovery progresses. ‘Utilities and infrastructure are the backbone of commerce. Without them, neither tourism nor business can function properly,’ he said.
Describing Ocho Rios as Jamaica’s ‘proof of responsible recovery,’ Seiveright underscored the town’s role in demonstrating how coordinated national action can safely and steadily reopen major economic corridors. ‘Ocho Rios is where Jamaica shows the world that we are recovering with order, with purpose, and with our small business people at the center of it,’ he concluded.