Natasha Greaves | Reimagining resilience and solidarity: Jamaica at a crossroads

Every December 18, International Migrants Day invites us to reflect on the journeys of millions who leave home in search of safety, dignity, and opportunity. For Jamaica and the Caribbean, migration is more than a statistic – it is a living story, woven into our history and culture. Yet, recent disasters have shown us that mobility is not always a choice, but often a matter of survival.

HUMAN FACE OF DISPLACEMENT

In the past decade alone, the Caribbean has witnessed over five million new internal displacements due to disasters. Behind each number is a personal story – a mother seeking shelter for her children, a farmer rebuilding after losing ancestral land, a student striving to continue education despite upheaval. These stories are unfolding now in western Jamaica, where the shocking impacts of the climate crisis are a lived reality in every community.

Hurricane Beryl struck Jamaica in July 2024 as a Category 4 storm. The Government of Jamaica estimated that Beryl had affected approximately 45,000 farmers in the southern parishes of Clarendon, Manchester, and St. Elizabeth. More than 8,700 houses were damaged, forcing families to seek shelter and begin the long process of recovery.

Barely a year later, Hurricane Melissa barrelled into the southwestern coastline as a Category 5 storm, producing sustained windspeeds of 185 mph. Communities throughout western Jamaica were upended, some for the second time in two years. In Black River, an historic town and the capital of St. Elizabeth parish, government reports indicate that 90 per cent of roofs were destroyed. The combination of sea surge, swollen rivers, and powerful winds left entire towns demolished. Across the western parishes, homes, businesses, and even officially designated hurricane shelters were torn apart. Ninety thousand families found themselves seeking shelter wherever possible.

Five weeks after Melissa, more than 279,000 people remained displaced. The use of schools as emergency shelters – an established response in previous seasons – is now perhaps no longer a good solution, as widespread and severe physical damage is causing longer term displacement, disrupting education and highlighting a tension between urgent humanitarian needs and the right to learning. This mirrors challenges faced by neighbouring Caribbean islands over the past decade.

The resilience of physical structures and the need to “build back better” are urgent priorities, especially when entire communities have been impacted in ways that expose their vulnerabilities to multiple environmental impacts.

NEW REALITY

Today, almost two months after Hurricane Melissa’s impact on October 28, many displaced Jamaicans remain in limbo, their return home delayed by economic and infrastructural challenges. Beyond shelter, the challenges have multiplied. Land tenure issues have surfaced, complicating the resettlement of families and the rebuilding of lives. Debris management has stretched local resources, with roads and neighbourhoods clogged by remnants of destroyed homes, trees, and infrastructure. Prolonged displacement is no longer an exception; it is becoming the norm for thousands of affected individuals, exposing gaps in our policies and preparedness.

The psychological toll is also profound. Sudden displacement, exposure to traumatic events, and loss of homes and livelihoods have generated significant distress among affected populations. Children, women, older persons, individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions, and first responders are particularly vulnerable to anxiety, grief, and psychosocial fatigue. Existing mental health services in impacted parishes are limited, and community support structures have been disrupted. Emergency shelters urgently require targeted psychosocial outreach, safe referral systems, and community-based emotional support spaces to stabilize affected individuals and prevent escalation into long-term mental health conditions.

RETHINKING POLICY AND PLANNING

It is clear that Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean must reconsider our policies and frameworks in light of these new realities. Climate mobility – addressing the movement of people due to environmental factors – must be integrated into national and regional planning. Regional organizations like CARICOM’s Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) have recognised this and are providing invaluable support, serving as hubs of regional knowledge and conveners of planning and action based on shared experiences.

CDEMA and its 13 member states have recently concluded the process of developing a Regional Action Plan for Integrating Human Mobility into Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) Programming across CARICOM. The International Organization for Migration’s new online course for policymakers, “From Risk to Resilience,” offers timely guidance and learnings from Caribbean and global experiences, helping leaders understand the complexities of climate-induced displacement and prepare fair, inclusive, and resilient responses.

CALL TO ACTION

Jamaica stands at a crossroads. The time for incremental change has passed; bold, comprehensive solutions are required to safeguard our communities against future storms. We must ensure that our policies reflect the lived realities of displaced persons, support the recovery of affected families, and promote social cohesion in the face of adversity.

This means investing in comprehensive approaches to preparedness, ensuring safe pathways, and protecting rights. It means strengthening the capacity of local service providers, volunteers, and community networks to deliver sustainable support and mitigate long-term negative psychosocial outcomes. It means integrating human mobility considerations and the displacement of people and communities into every aspect of national and regional planning, so that outcomes are fair, inclusive, and resilient.

As we look ahead, let us commit to building a Jamaica that is not only prepared for the next hurricane, but is also a model of resilience, fairness, and inclusion for the entire Caribbean. By reimagining our approach to resilience and solidarity, we can ensure that no one is left behind, and that every Jamaican – regardless of circumstance – has the opportunity to rebuild, recover, and thrive.

Natasha Greaves, is head of office (ad interim), of International Organization for Migration, Jamaica. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com