Editorial | Help MSMEs after Melissa

Each day reveals more of the damage left behind by Hurricane Melissa. The Category 5 hurricane battered Jamaica’s western parishes — St Elizabeth, Westmoreland, Hanover, St James, and parts of Trelawny — leaving communities in ruins. Among the hardest hit are micro and small businesses: cook shops, groceries, markets, and corner stores now reduced to heaps of mangled zinc, wood, and concrete.

The Gleaner welcomes Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness’ announcement to assist the local economy to be up and running. It is going to be a long road ahead. Many business owners are still assessing water damage, counting their losses, and wondering if they’ll ever get back on track. These are not just storefronts — their livelihoods, often built over decades, now facing the threat of permanent closure.

Micro, small, and medium-size enterprises (MSMEs) are the backbone of Jamaica’s economy:

• They make up 97.6 per cent of registered companies.

• They contribute 28.5 per cent of GDP.

• They provide over four-fifths of national employment.

Even before the storm, the sector was struggling. Yet, in 2023, MSMEs generated J$207.4 billion in sales — a sign of recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic. Hurricane Melissa threatens to undo that progress and exposes just how vulnerable these businesses are.

If Jamaica’s recovery is to be sustainable, it must begin with saving and rebuilding the MSME sector. This means:

• Grants for businesses whose assets were destroyed, to help them reopen without deepening household financial strain.

• Loan moratoria and concessional credit to rebuild inventory and replace equipment.

• A fast-track programme to repair and reopen markets once debris are cleared.

• Subsidised micro-insurance to protect against future climate shocks.

• Digitisation support to help small businesses register for and use digital payments, and access government recovery programmes.

TANGIBLE SUPPORT

The Gleaner has long advocated for tangible support for small businesses. In an editorial last year, we urged closer hand-holding:

“Perhaps Nigel Clarke needs to walk Jamaican businesses, particularly smaller ones, through the minutiae accessing the carve-outs they were promised.”

That call is even more urgent today. Delayed assistance — without transparency and accountability — will cost businesses their chance to reopen and further strain the already fragile local economies in the west.

Business associations must go beyond advisory roles. Their members should be on the ground, like emergency responders, assessing needs and delivering recovery solutions — from financial aid to training and digital support.

The real cost of action isn’t just measured in grants or loans. It’s measured in how many businesses reopen and how many workers keep their jobs. The cost of inaction will be devastating: permanent closures, increased migration to Kingston, and demographic imbalance.

Further, these businesses, which are deep-rooted in their communities, can be vital allies in climate change mitigation.

At COP30, beginning November 10 in Belém, Brazil, the call to include the MSME sector in climate diplomacy is one of the key areas of discussion. “These [local entrepreneurs] are the people most closely connected to the land and to traditional knowledge. They are already adopting regenerative practices, diversifying crops, and strengthening the bioeconomy,” said Décio Lima, president of Sebrae, a Brazilian micro and small business support service.

Hurricane Melissa has tested Jamaica’s resilience. Rebuilding roads and bridges is essential — but not enough. If Jamaica is to walk the long road of recovery with equity and strength, the government must prioritise reviving MSMEs in affected communities.

This is not just an economic investment. It’s a commitment to the dignity of Jamaican people and the strength of the country’s social fabric.