The Jamaican government has significantly escalated its financial response to Hurricane Melissa’s devastation, approving a substantial $42 million injection for small business rehabilitation. This emergency funding targets parishes that sustained severe damage when the hurricane struck on October 28, 2025.
Senator Aubyn Hill, Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, detailed the comprehensive recovery plan during a December 5 senate address. The reconstruction initiative will focus on critically affected areas including Middle Quarters in St. Elizabeth, along with designated zones in St. James, Trelawny, and Hanover.
This latest allocation builds upon previous government support, supplementing a $20 million package approved on November 10 that facilitated restoration of 44 retail establishments in Border, St. Elizabeth. The engineering enhancements incorporate hurricane-resilient designs featuring concrete foundations and specialized roof anchoring systems to withstand future extreme weather events.
Infrastructure improvements extend to flood mitigation measures, with boulder-and-concrete revetments currently under construction behind commercial properties. The renovation specifications additionally encompass modernized kitchen facilities, customer seating areas, and upgraded bathroom amenities.
Parallel to structural repairs, the ministry is implementing an emergency power solution through generator distribution to community shops across affected regions. Procurement processes have secured 15 generators thus far, with an additional 25 units in the acquisition phase. The initial deployment prioritized St. James parish, where 11 gasoline-powered generators were distributed to sustain businesses lacking refrigeration capabilities for perishable goods and beverages.
Comprehensive damage assessments conducted between November 10 and December 1, 2025 identified 1,293 businesses requiring intervention. Notably, evaluations in Accompong Maroon village revealed 25 enterprises needing repairs, with wooden structures completely destroyed and concrete buildings experiencing extensive roof damage. While some establishments maintain partial operations, consistent power access remains critical, prompting the ministry’s ongoing generator installation program to facilitate commercial reactivation.