分类： business

A fierce dispute has erupted across Jamaica’s agricultural sector following Hurricane Melissa’s October devastation, with farmers and vendors engaging in mutual blame over escalating food prices that are straining consumer budgets.

In St. Elizabeth parish, frustration among growers has reached critical levels. Dale Williams, a corn and cassava farmer from Hope River Lane, asserts that intermediaries known locally as ‘higglers’ are disproportionately inflating prices after purchasing produce at reasonable farm gate rates. “They triple their money because they know demand is high,” Williams explained, noting that this practice unfairly damages farmers’ reputations while making essential goods unaffordable for hurricane-affected communities.

The conflict reveals deeper structural issues within Jamaica’s food distribution network. Anthony Smith, a potato and watermelon cultivator from Ridge Pen, reported selling sweet potatoes at $100 per pound to higglers who subsequently retailed them in urban markets like Kingston for $400-500 per pound. Similar markups affect yam ($600/lb) and scallion ($1,000/lb), creating disincentives for agricultural production as farmers increasingly abandon cultivation for more profitable trading roles.

Coronation Market in Kingston, the island’s primary produce bazaar, reflects these tensions through volatile pricing. While most vegetables have increased by approximately $50 over two weeks, Scotch bonnet peppers dramatically jumped from $3,000 to $4,000 per pound, highlighting the extreme post-hurricane supply constraints.

Vendors vigorously dispute farmers’ allegations, citing their own operational challenges. Iesha, a Coronation Market trader, emphasized that transportation costs, hurricane-related scarcity, and necessary markups prevent selling at farm prices. “If the farmer sells for $10, we can’t sell for $10,” she stated, referencing increased dependence on expensive imports due to damaged local supplies.

Agricultural entrepreneur Sheldon Dockery provided broader context, noting that rising fertilizer, fuel, and transportation expenses—exacerbated by Jamaica’s infrastructure challenges—contribute significantly to end prices. Meanwhile, vendor Mark reported barely breaking even on scallions due to customer resistance, indicating complex market forces beyond simple profiteering.

This supply chain discord emerges as Jamaican consumers face painful choices between nutritional needs and economic reality, with farmers and vendors each defending their positions in a strained post-disaster economy.

Jamaica’s tourism sector is demonstrating remarkable resilience as industry leaders unite for a powerful post-hurricane recovery initiative. The movement gained momentum during Sandals Resorts International’s ‘Back to Jamaica’ town hall event, where executive chairman Adam Stewart received thunderous applause from over 350 travel advisors and industry professionals for his unwavering commitment to Jamaica’s recovery.

The event, streamed live to 11,000 travel professionals across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Latin America, served as both a showcase of the newly unveiled Sandals Dunn’s River resort and a strategic recovery summit. Stewart emphatically declared that ‘no storm or weather event will stop Jamaica,’ setting the tone for a collaborative industry-wide approach that prioritizes national recovery over corporate profits.

This display of solidarity featured influential supporters including ASTA President Zane Kerby, American Airlines Commercial Director Alexander Cavalcanti, Jamaican Director of Tourism Donovan White, and MBJ Airports head Shane Munroe. Together, they presented compelling evidence of Jamaica’s rapid restoration progress and operational readiness.

Critical recovery metrics reveal substantial progress: 80% power restoration across the island, 80% water service restoration, and 55% of hotel rooms already operational—projected to reach 68% by December’s end and 80% by January. Transportation infrastructure remains fully functional with Sangster International Airport maintaining all 29 airlines and 48 routes, while American Airlines has actually increased flight capacity post-hurricane.

The industry’s unified message—’charity helps, tourism sustains’—emphasizes that continued visitor support is crucial for long-term recovery. Travel advisors were urged to become ‘demand creators’ and communicate Jamaica’s readiness to clients worldwide, counterbalancing international media coverage of hurricane damage with stories of resilience and rapid rebuilding.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Public Service Company Limited (JPS) has received the prestigious Utility Provider of the Year award, marking the first presentation of this honor by the Consumer Advisory Committee on Utilities (CACU) in collaboration with the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR).

This distinguished accolade celebrates JPS’s comprehensive dedication to superior customer service, technological advancement, and unwavering national support. The evaluation framework for this new award category assessed utility companies across multiple critical dimensions: customer experience, service reliability, operational fairness, and strategic technological implementation.

Selection methodology incorporated both public voting participation and empirical data gathered during the OUR’s extensive 10-week mystery shopping investigation conducted earlier this year.

Pia Baker, Senior Vice President for Customer Experience and Commercial at JPS, emphasized that this recognition validates the company’s systematic modernization initiatives aimed at revolutionizing customer interactions. “This acknowledgment holds profound significance for our organization. We have deliberately pursued transformational changes in customer service delivery — expanding self-service capabilities through the MyJPS App, enhancing accessibility via the MyJPS Care Hub, minimizing customer wait times, and elevating service quality across all communication channels,” Baker stated.

Baker specifically commended JPS frontline personnel for maintaining exceptional professionalism and empathy during challenging circumstances, particularly following Hurricane Melissa’s devastation. “While many customers experienced understandable distress during the hurricane aftermath, our teams demonstrated remarkable patience and dedication while simultaneously managing their personal recovery situations,” she observed. Baker additionally recognized business process outsourcing partner iTel for providing crucial support in maintaining voice contact operations.

The utility executive framed the award not as a final achievement but as inspiration for continued customer-centric evolution. “We express gratitude to our customers who consistently provide feedback, voice concerns, and push us toward daily improvement. Customer service represents an ongoing journey of adaptation, listening, and progressive development,” Baker concluded.

JPS continues to disseminate operational updates through its official website, social media channels, and traditional media outlets. Customers can monitor post-Hurricane Melissa restoration progress via the company’s dedicated restoration portal at https://www.jpsco.com/hurricane-melissa-restoration-updates/.

JAMAICA – In a significant demonstration of private sector mobilization, Hah-R-Mony Entertainment Limited has taken a leadership role in Jamaica’s post-hurricane recovery efforts as the island nation races against time to prepare for the imminent winter tourist season following Hurricane Melissa’s devastation.

The entertainment conglomerate, which operates across approximately 21 hotels primarily along Jamaica’s tourism-dependent northern coastline, has deployed specialized crews, utility trucks, and heavy-duty equipment throughout Montego Bay. Their mission: clearing obstructed roadways, removing fallen trees, and eliminating hazardous debris that threatens the region’s accessibility.

This strategic intervention aims to accelerate the restoration of vital transportation corridors while providing crucial support to Jamaica Public Service teams working to rebuild electrical infrastructure including downed light poles and other essential utilities.

Garth Ramsay, Senior Director at Hah-R-Mony Entertainment, emphasized the company’s recognition of its fundamental role within Jamaica’s tourism ecosystem. “We transcend traditional entertainment services,” Ramsay stated. “As integral components of Jamaica’s economic infrastructure, we understand that tourism disruptions immediately affect local families. By deploying our resources to clear access routes and assist utility restoration, we’re facilitating a safer, accelerated return to normalcy for both visitors and residents alike.”

CEO Ho-Chi-Min Castillo Rollfort characterized the initiative as embodying a broader vision of public-private collaboration and national resilience. “This represents the private sector functioning as a strategic force multiplier,” Rollfort explained. “Economic delays directly impact employment and livelihoods. Our field operations operate with urgency because temporal efficiency is critical. We maintain close coordination with public authorities to ensure safety compliance and honor our service commitments to guests. Today’s recovery pace directly translates into tomorrow’s stability for Jamaican families.”

These efforts coincide with intensified clean-up operations across St James and adjacent parishes, where private stakeholders are converting high-level recovery pledges into concrete actions aimed at restoring infrastructure, operational readiness, and market confidence along Jamaica’s crucial tourism corridors.

With the peak tourism season rapidly approaching, industry executives report that this coordinated public-private response is establishing the foundation for a robust and rapid post-hurricane economic recovery.