by 
When a hurricane passes, it leaves behind more than debris. It leaves behind exposure.
Exposure of drainage systems that were adequate — until they weren’t.
Exposure of roofs that met code — but not reality.
Exposure of economic models that assume disruption is occasional, not cyclical.
Hurricane MelissaHurricane Melissa
(noun) Definition:
Hurricane Melissa is a historic and catastrophic tropical cyclone that struck... did not just damage infrastructure. It revealed assumptionsAssumptions are underlying conditions or factors that are accepted as true or certain without concrete proof, which infl....
And that is why the national conversation should not begin with, “Should JamaicansJamaicans are a resilient and vibrant people with a deep-rooted history defined by courage, resistance, and cultural ric... pay more?” That is too small a question for the scaleScale is a fundamental concept in cartography that translates the vastness of the real world into manageable proportions... of what we are facing.
The deeper question is this:
Are we prepared to pay for permanence — or are we content to keep paying for repair?
Because those are two very different national strategies.
Disaster Is Not an Interruption Anymore
There was a time when severe weather events were described as once-in-a-generation occurrences. That language is fading. Consecutive years of significant storms have reshaped the timeline.
If disruption becomes rhythm, then recovery cannot remain improvisation.
Countries at war redesign supply chains. Nations struck by pandemics redesign healthcare systems. Economies hit by financial crises redesign regulatoryIn Jamaica, regulatory measures are the formal rules and standards established by government authorities to oversee and ... frameworks. They do not simply restore what existed before. They recalibrate.
JamaicaJamaica, with its vibrant culture and stunning landscapes, has a unique position in the global real estate market. The i... must now confront whether it intends to recalibrate — or merely restore.
The Illusion of “Back to Normal”
“Back to normal” is emotionally appealing. It suggests stability. Familiarity. Safety.
But what if normal is structurally vulnerable?
Rebuilding a washed-out road to the same engineering standard that failed under predictable rainfall intensity is not recovery. It is deferred collapse. Replacing roofs with the same fastening systems that failed under sustained wind pressure is not resilience. It is repetition.
The temptation after disaster is speed. The responsibility after disaster is wisdom.
Speed rebuilds quickly.
Wisdom rebuilds differently.
And rebuilding differently requires investment"Investment" in the realm of real estate refers to the allocation of money or resources into property with the expectati....
The Question of Contribution
The word “tax” triggers resistance because it feels extractive. But national contribution is not inherently punitive. It becomes punitive when it is opaque, indefinite, or mismanaged.
Every functioning country funds its own continuity. The form varies — taxation, bonds, sovereign funds, levies, insurance mechanisms — but the principle does not.
If Jamaica chooses not to raise revenue domestically, the alternative is borrowing. Borrowing is simply taxation delayed — with interest.
So the real policyIn Jamaica, a policy represents a guiding principle or course of action adopted by governmental bodies, organizations, o... question is not whether money is required. It is how that money is structured, protected, and directed.
Temporary. Targeted. Transparent.
Anything else would erode confidence.
But avoiding contribution entirely would erode sovereignty.
The Strategic Shift: From Expense to Investment
Here is where the conversation must mature.
Disaster spending is often framed as cost. It is more accurately described as capitalCapital refers to the financial resources, whether in the form of equity, debt, or other assets, that individuals or bus... allocation.
When infrastructure is redesigned to withstand future storms, the country reduces future liabilities. When building standards are elevated beyond minimum code, private homeowners reduce lifetime repair expenses. When energy grids are decentralised and reinforced, economic continuity improves.
Reinvestment is not charity toward the present. It is protection for the future.
Dean JonesDean Jones is a chartered builder, project manager, licensed real estate professional and the founder of Jamaica Homes, ..., founder of Jamaica HomesJamaica Homes is a premier real estate company offering a comprehensive platform for buying, selling, and renting proper... and Executive Director of ProjectsA project or projects, within the Jamaican context, refers to a planned endeavor undertaken to achieve specific goals or... at Cranfield, puts it this way:
“If a country experiences two major shocks in two consecutive years and responds by restoring the previous standard, it has misunderstood the lesson. Minimum building regulation is not resilience — it is compliance. Resilience begins where regulation ends. Jamaica must now ask whether we are building to survive the last hurricane or preparing for the next one. Because if preparation does not guide policy, then repair willIn Jamaica, a will is a legal document created by an individual to specify how their assets, including their belongings ... become our national habit.”
That is not alarmism. It is strategic realism.
Building Once — Not Rebuilding Repeatedly
There is a quiet economic principle at stake: lifecycle cost.
A roof built cheaply may cost less today, but more tomorrow. A drainage system designed to historical rainfall averages may function for years — until it fails catastrophically under new climate intensity.
When you build, you want to build once.
This is not about extravagance. It is about durability.
And durability demands standards that exceed compliance.
Jones expands on this national mindset shift:
“We cannot afford to treat resilience as a parish-specific issue. One side of the island may escape devastation while another absorbs it, but national vulnerability is shared. Reinvestment now is not about paying more for the sake of it; it is about paying intelligently so that we are not paying again and again over the next two decades. The real debate is not taxation versus no taxation. It is repetition versus reinvention.”
Repetition versus reinvention.
That is the axis of the conversation.
The Role of Leadership
Leadership in moments like this is tested in subtle ways.
It is easy to announce relief.
It is harder to redesign systems.
It is politically risky to ask for contribution — but it is more dangerous to avoid long-term recalibration out of short-term discomfort.
Finance policy cannot operate in isolation from climate reality.
If new revenue measures are introduced, they must be progressive, time-bound, and auditable. The most vulnerable must be shielded. Small enterprises struggling to reopen cannot carry disproportionate burden.
But equally, national planningNational planning in Jamaica represents a comprehensive strategy for the country's growth and development, aiming to bal... cannot pretend that international aid or insurance instruments will permanently absorb escalating climate riskA risk is the possibility of an adverse outcome or loss arising from uncertainty or potential hazards. It represents the....
Leadership requires acknowledging that the financial architectureArchitecture is the art and science of designing and constructing buildings and spaces that reflect cultural, functional... of the past decade may not be sufficient for the climate trajectory of the next decade.
Beyond Money: Standards and Culture
There is another dimension that rarely receives attention: culture.
Meeting building codeA Building Code is a set of regulations governing the design, construction, and maintenance of buildings to ensure saf... is treated as success. But building code is the floor, not the ceiling.
Developers, homeowners, contractors — all must internalise a new ethic: resilience is not optional.
The strongest hurricane on record should not produce the strongest response in memory only to see complacency return within five years.
Institutional memory must outlast public anxiety.
A National Choice
If Jamaica contributes more now — wisely, transparently, strategically — it invests in permanence.
If Jamaica avoids structural change, it will contribute later through repair, insurance premiums, economic disruption, and human hardship.
The question, then, is not rhetorical.
It is generational.
Do we treat consecutive hurricanesHurricanes, powerful tropical storms characterized by strong winds and heavy rains, significantly impact both Jamaica an... as unfortunate anomalies — or as data?
Do we rebuild for headlines — or for decades?
Do we pay reluctantly for repair — or deliberately for resilience?
Because storms will come again. That is not pessimism; it is geography.
The only variable within national control is preparation.
And preparation has a price.
The real issue is whether we choose to pay it once — with intention — or repeatedly, without strategy.
That decision will not be measured in the next budget cycle.
It will be measured in the next storm.
Join The Discussion