Jamaica and UK sign deal to fast-track post-Melissa reconstruction

Jamaica and the United Kingdom have signed a four-year partnership, beginning with a £10-million programme, to accelerate reconstruction following Hurricane Melissa, as a new report warns that weaknesses in the country's disaster response systems could undermine efforts to rebuild.

The agreement, signed on Sunday at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, will see both governments share the cost of the first-year programme, which will provide technical support to the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA).

The partnership comes days after the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CAPRI) released its report, Higher Ground: Lessons from Hurricane Melissa for Resilience, Relief, and Recovery, which identified gaps in Jamaica's ability to turn disaster financing into timely assistance and restore essential services.

CAPRI found that only $26.2 million of the J$1.4 billion in cash donations received by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) for Melissa had been spent four months after the hurricane, representing 1.8 per cent of the funds.

The institute said the problem was not simply a lack of money, but weaknesses in the systems needed to deliver relief.

The report also highlighted gaps in the verification of roof repairs and the continued disruption to public services.

It estimated the overall effects of Melissa at J$1.95 trillion (US$12.2 billion), underscoring the scale of the recovery challenge facing the country.

Under the new agreement, UK firms Arup, Mace and Gleeds will form the Jamaica UK Delivery Team (JUKDT), providing design, engineering, programme management and procurement support to NaRRA.

The team will draw on its experience in Peru, where it helped deliver schools, health facilities and flood-defence infrastructure in areas vulnerable to extreme weather.

It will also work alongside Jamaican engineers, contractors and other professionals to transfer expertise and strengthen local capacity to manage major infrastructure projects.

The partnership is expected to help Jamaica prepare investment-ready projects and unlock reconstruction and development financing, while improving project monitoring, cost control and public reporting.

Jamaica's Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith said the agreement would give practical expression to the longstanding relationship between both countries through shared investment and a common purpose.

"By combining Jamaican leadership and expertise with the UK's experience in major infrastructure delivery, we will accelerate the rebuilding of communities and the restoration of services, livelihoods and opportunities," she said.

"For our people, the measure of success will be tangible improvements in their daily lives and infrastructure that better protects them against future disasters," she added.

British High Commissioner Alicia Herbert said the objective was not simply to replace what was damaged, but to rebuild stronger through climate-resilient infrastructure and lasting Jamaican capacity to manage reconstruction.

"The aim is not simply to replace what was damaged, but to rebuild stronger: faster delivery of climate-resilient infrastructure to help protect communities against future disasters, alongside lasting Jamaican capability to deliver reconstruction and drive economic growth," Herbert said.

CAPRI has recommended 16 policy changes to strengthen Jamaica's disaster preparedness and recovery framework.

These include stronger building standards, upgrades to the electricity grid, improved protection of natural defences and a permanent digital platform for managing disaster relief and claims.

The institute has also called for improvements in the coordination and delivery of assistance, highlighting the need for systems that can move resources to affected households and communities more efficiently.

The UK has confirmed funding for the first year of the partnership, with financing for subsequent years to be addressed as the programme develops.

The partnership will now focus on advancing priority projects and strengthening the systems needed to deliver them.

Its success, however, will ultimately be measured by how quickly the resources and technical expertise translate into completed infrastructure, restored services and improved protection for communities vulnerable to future disasters.

Follow The Gleaner on X, formerly Twitter, and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.