GoodHeart | Geoffrey Thomas brings homes, hope to Springfield

In the quiet hills of Springfield, St Elizabeth, long after Hurricane Melissa had passed, Geoffrey ‘GT’ Thomas kept returning. The wind had torn through the small community with unforgiving force, ripping roofs off, splintering walls, and scattering years of labour across yards in twisted zinc and broken timber. Thomas, the founder of GT Sound Limited, had first come to the area delivering relief supplies, carrying bags of food and water up steep dirt paths as he toured the destruction. Amid the wreckage, one homeowner stood in what remained of his house and said something that stopped Thomas in his tracks: “God is good. I still have life.” He had lost everything except gratitude. “It was not easy to go back to my home and forget those words,” Thomas told GoodHeart.

Moved by the homeowner’s words, Thomas rolled up his sleeves. He surveyed the damaged house, measured the spaces, and organised materials, coordinating local workers to start the reconstruction. Brick by brick, beam by beam, he rebuilt, not just this house, but another as well. To date, two homes in Springfield have been reconstructed through his personal commitment.

For Thomas, housing is never just about walls and roofs, it’s about dignity. A safe home brings privacy. Security. A sense of purpose.

When asked how he chooses beneficiaries, his answer is simple: “Those who need it most.” Like the man who lives 15 minutes off-road, up a steep hill. Overlooked, but not forgotten.

“Every day when I go down there, I experience gratitude,” he added. And, in those moments, 40 years of business success feel secondary. “If what I do does not change someone’s life, it would be for nothing,” Thomas explained.

Thomas founded GT Sound Limited 40 years ago, born out of frustration. As a young gospel singer travelling with his group, he watched poor sound systems ruin performances meant to uplift people.

“The PA (public address system) would be so bad it would destroy our performance,” he recalled.

Instead of complaining, he built a solution. Over the decades, GT Sound has grown into a company supporting major church conventions, gospel events, and national gatherings across Jamaica. While sound technology has evolved, Thomas says the guiding principle remains the same: excellence.

“If you understand purpose, then you put principles before money,” he said. He often refers to it as living a life of “Prepose” –purpose first.

Behind the businessman is a story that fuels his compassion. Thomas was left with his grandmother before he was six months old. His mother did not return. Affirmation did not come easily in his early years. At 46, during a visit to Canada with his wife and daughters, he heard her say for the first time, “For a boy that does not have a mother or a father, you have done well.” That sentence stayed with him.

Perhaps that is why gratitude runs so deep, and rebuilding homes feels personal. He knows what it means to build something from little while longing for stability.

As he celebrates his time in the industry, Thomas is marking the occasion with The Experience, a gratitude gathering scheduled for April 4 at Manchester High School. For him, the moment is about thanksgiving and impact. A portion of the proceeds from the event will continue to support the rebuilding initiative in Springfield.

“Much has been given to me,” Thomas reflects. “At this time, so much is needed.”

When asked what matters more, impact in entertainment or impact in lives, he does not hesitate.

“Impact in lives,” he said.

goodheart@gleanerjm.com