Cash proves it’s king in aftermath of Melissa
Published:Monday | November 3, 2025 | 12:10 AMJanet Silvera/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
When Fernando Davis stepped out last Saturday morning, four days after Hurricane Melissa battered Jamaica, he thought recovery had begun…with money in his account, a charged phone, and errands to run.
However, the first stop at a supermarket in Ironshore, St James, was a rude awakening. The long line outside barely moved, and when he finally reached the entrance, a sign read: “Cash Only”.
“That was my first reality check,” Davis said. “You have money, but you don’t have any money, because the technology can’t help you right now.”
From supermarkets to pharmacies, every door he tried bore the same message: No card. Cash only.
For the past few years, Jamaica has been proudly marching towards a cashless future. The Bank of Jamaica has licensed digital-payment providers, schools have launched e-pay systems, and mobile wallets such as Lynk, MyCash, and Quisk promise to make cash obsolete.
But the hurricane exposed a painful truth, without power, Internet, or functioning point-of-sale terminals, digital money is useless.
Reports are that the MultiLink debit network, which connects most POS (point of sale) terminals in Jamaica, was fully restored as of October 29, following the passage of Hurricane Melissa; however, many merchants were forced to revert to paper receipts and small cash reserves, while customers lined up at the bank machines just to withdraw enough to buy food or fuel.
“This experience humbled me,” Davis admitted. “We talk about going cashless, but after a storm like this, cash is the only thing that works.”
The crisis highlighted the fragility of Jamaica’s digital infrastructure. Even major supermarkets and pharmacies, normally equipped for debit and credit transactions, could not process payments. The few that did operate limited entry to manage security and crowding.
NOT DISASTER-PROOF
Economists note that while electronic payment systems are efficient during normal times, they are not yet disaster-proof. The country’s heavy dependence on electricity and telecommunications means a single event can paralyse commerce.
A senior financial analyst told The Gleaner that resilience must now be a priority.
“If we’re serious about digital transformation, we must build redundancy, backup power, offline modes, and public awareness that cash remains essential in emergencies.
For Davis, who had planned to travel to Westmoreland on assignment but couldn’t find a gas station without long lines, the lesson was simple: “Never put away all your cash.”
He urged Jamaicans to take care of their mental health amid the frustration of long lines and scarce supplies.
“This is a test of patience,” he said. “Life as we knew it a few weeks ago isn’t the same. We have to adjust our minds.”
Hurricane Melissa may have been a natural disaster, but its aftermath became a stress test for Jamaica’s financial modernisation.
The analyst noted that the Government’s drive towards a cashless economy, through the Bank of Jamaica’s payment-system reforms and mobile-wallet initiatives, remains a worthy goal, but, as Melissa proved, true digital resilience demands not only innovation, but redundancy.
Until then, as Davis and thousands of Jamaicans discovered the hard way, cash still reigns supreme.