Jamaica’s ABM network stabilises, but storm-hit parishes lag behind

Jamaica’s network of automated banking machines (ABMs) remains largely stable at 2.0 per cent below pre-Hurricane Melissa levels, but some parishes in the storm’s path are yet to recover.

The total fleet contracted from 904 machines in September 2025 to 887 in April 2026, Bank of Jamaica data show, with machines in St Elizabeth declining 13 per cent and St James down 5.0 per cent.

The figures, published monthly by the central bank, suggest the island has not yet recovered its pre-storm banking infrastructure footprint, even as the proportion of operational machines has stabilised. In March 2026, the total fleet stood at 879 before edging up marginally to 887 in April.

The shortfall is most visible in parishes that bore the brunt of the October 28 hurricane. In St James, April 2026 data show 102 machines, six fewer than in September 2025. St Elizabeth recorded 33 machines in April, five fewer than in September 2025. St Ann fell from 31 machines to 29 over the same period. Westmoreland was flat at 37 machines, with no net restoration of machines lost to storm damage. In several of these parishes, the share of operational machines also fell below the BOJ’s 95 per cent uptime benchmark.

The BOJ requires banks to maintain at least 90 per cent of their machines in operation at any given time and a monthly uptime of at least 95 per cent. Several banks fell short of one or both thresholds in hurricane-affected parishes in April.

Bank of Nova Scotia Jamaica Limited, which operates the second-largest ABM fleet on the island, disclosed that its April downtime reflected a combination of factors: planned outages tied to a fleet refresh programme under which 137 older machines are being replaced with new models, continued recovery from telecommunications outages in Melissa-affected areas, and complete physical damage to several machines in the fleet. The bank said it “continues to work closely with all stakeholders to fully restore the fleet as quickly and safely as possible.”

As of April, National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited operated the largest fleet with 294 machines islandwide, followed by Bank of Nova Scotia with 279.

Hurricane Melissa caused losses and damage estimated at half the island’s annual economic output, according to the Planning Institute of Jamaica, with western and northern parishes absorbing the heaviest physical destruction. The banking sector’s slow fleet restoration in those areas means that residents in some of the hardest-hit communities continue to face reduced access to cash services more than six months after the storm.

The BOJ said the figures are drawn from unaudited submissions by the banks and that it “does not in any way certify the accuracy or otherwise of the outturns reported”.

business@gleanerjm.com