Shinique Walters | From grants to growth...How much community change should aid funding deliver after Hurricane Melissa?

Months after the destruction of Hurricane Melissa, particularly across southern and western Jamaica, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) has shared that it has spent $26 million, or 1.8 per cent, of the $1.44 billion in cash donations intended to assist people devastated by the storm. 

This has created several debates about the pace of recovery, the management of aid funding, and what is a meaningful reconstruction of communities after a disaster, as several individuals' homes and access to basic services were significantly damaged. Issues of existing poverty, disrupted livelihoods, limited transportation access and greater inequalities that continue to shape recovery efforts across vulnerable areas.

The conversation should not only focus on how much money has been spent, but also on whether aid funding is being used to create meaningful and sustainable community recovery after any disaster. Citizens are more focused on immediate assistance and increasing visibility with rebuilding efforts. Nevertheless, experiences from other countries show that recovery for vulnerable and low-income communities is rarely completed within a single year. 

Countries such as Dominica and Japan all required years of sustained investment, demonstrating that aid funding is most effective when treated as a long-term development strategy rather than a short-term emergency relief. Hurricane Maria in 2017 encouraged Dominica to develop a “Build Back Better” approach aimed at creating a climate-resilient nation by investing aid funds in hurricane-resistant housing and resilient infrastructure. 

Japan, after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, also extended over a decade to rebuild communities with elevated seawalls and long-term economic recovery programmes through sustained public investment. These countries, therefore, highlight that meaningful recovery is not measured simply by how quickly aid funding is spent but by the investment made to ensure the community is more resilient and economically stable. 

THE NARRA BILL 

However, within a year, Jamaica should reasonably expect progress in critical areas such as improvements in schools, better drainage systems, better housing options, and assistance for farmers and small business owners in building back. 

Rural communities should feel a sense of stability and direction while still recognising that the community cannot be transformed from poverty in twelve months, but that momentum to redevelop the community is maintained. 

The introduction of the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) Bill is an important part of the national conversation, as it is seen as legislation that could strengthen Jamaica’s ability to coordinate reconstruction projects, reduce bureaucratic delays, and accelerate national recovery efforts following the hurricane.

 It is hoped that this bill will improve infrastructure delivery, strengthen disaster preparedness and create more efficient systems for managing finances and reconstruction projects. At the same juncture, concerns around transparency and accountability cannot be ignored, as these are all concerns regarding the NaRRA Bill, as the reconstruction could weaken public oversight and reduce accountability in the management of large-scale funding. While citizens need urgency, there has to be confidence that public resources are being managed responsibly and fairly. 

The problem is not simply to rebuild quickly but to ensure that this rebuilding is done wisely. The hope is that reconstruction will not focus on physical infrastructure while ignoring the deeper social and economic conditions that make communities more vulnerable because of poverty, unemployment and limited economic opportunities. 

Recovery efforts must include long-term investments in education, livelihood, agriculture and digital access. Small businesses require greater finances and technical assistance. Communities need a stronger infrastructure to withstand future storms and climate-related events. 

People should be included in shaping the reconstruction priorities, as there have been countless times that development projects are designed without sufficient community buy-in, resulting in initiatives that fail to address the actual needs of residents.  As these residents best understand their needs of their community.  

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN 

The debate that currently exists over ODPEM spending also highlights a broader issue: the difference between funding allocation and measurable impact. Public announcements of millions in aid funding can create expectations of immediate transformation, yet communities are forced to continue to struggle long after the headlines fade. 

Recovery, therefore, must not be measured solely by how much money is distributed, but by whether more families are experiencing an increase in livelihoods and a more resilient community is being built over time. 

Hurricane Melissa reminded us that disasters do not affect all people equally. Vulnerable communities often experience greater losses and are forced to face the longest recovery periods. We must reconstruct beyond repairing roads and buildings; it also forces us to address that poverty and inequality leave many communities vulnerable before disasters even occur. 

As the conversation continues around reconstruction funding opportunities and the proposed NaRRA Bill, Jamaica faces an important opportunity for recovery as either a short-term exercise focused on emergency repairs or a long-term strategy to build sustainable, more resilient communities that withstand future challenges. 

Ultimately, aid funding alone cannot transform communities. Sustainable development requires accountability, transparency, and greater participation in long-term investment opportunities for people. International experience shows that recovery is not measured in months but in years of sustained commitment and resilience. Jamaica's greatest issue after Hurricane Melissa is not about rebuilding what was lost, but creating a space for communities to become resilient, stronger and economically secure moving forward. 

Dr Shinique Walters is a lecturer in the Department of Government and research fellow at the Centre for Leadership and Government at The University of the West Indies, Mona. Send feedback to shiniquewalters@gmail.com

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