Port Authority, BPO sector show resilience after hurricane
Published:Monday | November 3, 2025 | 12:09 AMAlbert Ferguson/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
The Port Authority of Jamaica and the Global Services Association of Jamaica (GSAJ), representing the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, have been lauded for their rapid recovery efforts and resilience following the recent passage of Hurricane Melissa, which struck the island early last week.
Gloria Henry, vice-president of the Port Authority with responsibility for Portmore and BPO operations, said the organisation’s focus on preparedness and continuity paid off as teams acted swiftly to safeguard infrastructure and operations at the Montego Bay Free Zone.
“We were as prepared as we could be for this hurricane, bearing in mind that we only had a playbook of a Category-5 hurricane to guide us,” Henry told The Gleaner during a tour of the facility on Saturday.
“But we did our best to prepare. In terms of our business continuity plans, we rolled that out quickly before the storm came. We have a very resilient team – team members were here onsite during the storm and they were able to do things quickly like shut down power, shut down generators, preserve vital equipment, and support persons who were here.”
Henry noted that PAJ President Professor Gordon Shirley was among the first to visit the site post-impact, ensuring that recovery efforts were coordinated effectively.
“Our president, Professor Gordon Shirley, was first onsite because these are Port Authority buildings, so we are making sure that they are up and running, ready for our clients,” she said.
“We’ve already accommodated some clients who have been displaced in those two buildings that have been damaged. Everything else is superficial in terms of what you’ve seen with the roof, we are doing our best to accommodate the clients.”
Despite some structural damage, Henry said the focus is now on rebuilding stronger and more efficiently.
“Fortunately, we have Plug and Play, which is our incubator – Unique Vacation is going in that – and some other clients, so we are looking forward to rebuilding even stronger,” she said.
Senator Aubyn Hill, minister of industry, investment and commerce, who toured the site along with Henry and his state minister, Delano Seivright, praised the BPO operators and the Port Authority for their swift response and determination to recover.
“What is good about this is that they are not just looking to get workers back in,” Hill observed. “They are looking to ensure that what was here is restored better than it was – so that people feel safe and well accommodated, and so that the businesses who rent can continue their operations.”
ESCAPED DAMAGES
He added that one of the largest operators at the Free Zone, employing some 3,000 workers, escaped largely unscathed.
“They may have lost a sheet of zinc, but that’s about it,” the minister said. “So I am very pleased, because building back better is so vital – it sends a message that Jamaica can recover quickly. We hope, for Heaven’s sake, it (the Category-5 storm) will never happen again, but should it happen again, we know how to do it, and we have shown you.”
Hill underscored that the sector’s swift recovery demonstrates Jamaica’s capacity for resilience and reliability in the global marketplace.
“The people who are doing their business in Jamaica can say Jamaica went through a Category-5 plus hurricane and came back so quickly, that’s the kind of place we have to have our business,” he asserted.
“Most of the places these companies operate from are tropical locations. Jamaica has shown that we are spread across the island and can get back to business very quickly.”
GSAJ President Wayne Sinclair also commended the sector’s performance under pressure, noting that local companies’ business continuity strategies kept disruptions to a minimum.
“We need to understand that our companies did a very good job in terms of business continuity plans,” Sinclair told The Gleaner. “What that means to our partners overseas is that we didn’t suffer too much downtime or inefficiencies because of the storm, just a little blip. It’s almost as if nothing happened, and that again speaks to the resilience and competence of our companies in the sector.”
The Montego Bay Free Zone, home to some of Jamaica’s largest outsourcing firms, remains operational as assessments and repairs continue. Sector leaders say the experience has reinforced the importance of robust preparedness, strong infrastructure, and teamwork, values that continue to define Jamaica’s growing global services industry.