Adeniyi Bamidele | Rebuild Black River’s economy now before poverty takes root

At 8 p.m., Black River once became quiet by habit. Shop lights dimmed, the streets emptied, and the town settled into the familiar stillness of night. Today, Black River is quiet for a different reason.

On October 28, 2025, Hurricane Melissa devastated our town, disrupted livelihoods, weakened local businesses, and left many families facing the harsh reality of poverty. It destroyed sea defences, utilities, schools, hospitals, clinics, infrastructure, homes and, tragically, historical and heritage sites.

People waited for government intervention and for the announcement of a comprehensive recovery plan, having heard from the prime minister on his first visit days after the storm that the town would be relocated. Assistance is urgently needed. A comprehensive plan developed in consultation with residents, businesses and other interests is vital.

But, almost a year later, with no consultation, no big plan, and little official assistance, families need income, businesses need customers, and the town needs a reason to move again.

Black River cannot afford to rebuild without first deciding what kind of economy will sustain it. Recovery must begin with investment, production and commerce. Investment should be measured not only by the roads repaired, the utilities restored, the buildings renovated, or the facilities reopened, but also by the jobs created, businesses supported, and the income circulated within the town.

OBLIGATIONS

Businesses on High Street, the business centre of Black River, have basically shuttered since Hurricane Melissa. But they still have obligations. Obligations to financial institutions, suppliers, employees, utility providers and others. The most critical constraint has been uncertainty. Some businesses on the strip facing the sea have been told that the government has decided that it needs their land. Businesses on the other side of the street have been told that discussions with them must await the plan. Most businesses that have private insurance have been waiting. There has been no sign that the government intends to pursue compensation against those responsible for the conditions which drove the intensity and destructive strength of Hurricane Melissa. We have been advised that, as private citizens, we cannot initiate action against states.

More than 100 persons employed by businesses on High Street have lost direct jobs. Persons who operated in the municipal market are on the street. And many small operators who provided services on the river are inactive.

That is our current state, which cannot continue. And our goal cannot simply be to restore Black River to what it was before the hurricane. But, equally, it cannot be to create a Black River without its cultural and historical sites and activities that gave our town its unique character. So, we must together imagine what Black River could become.

What if we intentionally positioned Black River as Jamaica’s premier commercial fishing port? Our coastal location and maritime heritage give us a natural foundation. Investment in fishing vessels, modern landing facilities, cold storage, seafood processing, packaging, distribution and export capacity could put people to work quickly while building an industry that supports fisherfolk, transport operators, vendors, technicians, restaurants and small businesses.

What if Black River became a healthcare district? Clinics, diagnostic centres, specialty practices, rehabilitation facilities, pharmacies and healthcare training programmes that create stable employment and bring people into the town every day. A healthcare hub could serve St Elizabeth, surrounding parishes, and eventually patients from across Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.

SKILLS TOWN

What if we developed Black River as an education and skills-training town? Universities, trade schools, certification programmes, agricultural training, and strengthened secondary institutions that could attract students from across the island. Students create demand for housing, food, transportation, technology, entertainment and professional services. Education could not only prepare people for work; it would generate commerce throughout the community.

What if we position Black River as a technology park, not only providing training in a range of technology skills but establishing data centres to use these skills to process, manage and provide highly technical data services in the international market?

These ideas are not distant dreams. They are examples of how recovery can be organised around an economic engine(s). Black River offered training in medical and allied services before the facilities were destroyed by Melissa and the programme moved. Black River can develop more than one of these sectors, but we must identify where we can begin now. One catalytic project capable of creating visible activity can restore confidence and prove that revival is possible.

Local government, national agencies, business owners, investors, community organisations, educational institutions, and residents should urgently convene a Black River Economic Recovery Forum. Its first task should be practical: select the most viable industry, identify one project that can begin quickly, establish who will lead it, and set a public implementation timeline. Larger plans can continue to develop, but action should not wait for every detail to be settled.

Emergency relief can help families survive today. Only economic activity will allow them to rebuild their lives tomorrow. Black River cannot remain still while poverty deepens and residents wait for rescue. We need work. We need customers. We need investment. Most of all, we need a shared vision.

The river still moves. The sea breeze still carries the spirit of our people. Hurricane Melissa may have damaged the town, but it did not erase Black River’s history, pride, or potential. Let us rebuild the roads and buildings, but let us also build an economy. Let us give Black River a reason to stay awake again.

Dr Adeniyi Bamidele is a Black River-based practising medical doctor and member of the Black River Chamber of Commerce. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.