Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica, Ayiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Bermuda and the Greater Antilles. Registering as a Category five, it was the worst on record. There are 75 confirmed dead across the Caribbean region but still with many unnacconted for. Underpining this is speculation about storms of such magnitude and even stronger are going to be the new normal, attributal to the “climate crisis”. (1) Due to the demographic make of the Afrikan community in the UK, the plight of Jamaica, with thirty-two fatalities, has been of particular concern. (2)
Speaking at a community meeting, the High Commissioner, Alexander Williams said that Melissa destroyed six of the island’s fourteen parishes. Conservative estimates put the cost of rebuilding at around sixty-seven billion US dollars, roughly 40% of the Jamaica’s economic activity and which will take years, if not generations to complete. (3)
So the main focus currently is on the relief efforts and getting much needed items to those in need, not only on the individual but also on the institutional and governmental level. On this front some have criticised the £3 million that UK government pledged as insufficient, given its colonial legacy in the region and the fact that Jamaica and the UK share the same head of state and that the UK through the Privy Council remains Jamaica’s highest legal authority. This had led to calls to cast this dynamic in a reparations context which requires an examination of the organisational capacity of Afrikans in the UK and the need to build a representative body. (4)
There are also suggestions that in addition to funding the UK should offer visas for family members to come here for respite and education as was the case with Ukranians and for those unable to come to the UK the hospitality industry can use its off season to house the homeless. However, this latter point may be at odds with the tourism industry, said to contribute thirty per cent to GDP, and its aim to be “fully reopened by December 15th” meaning they’ll likely prioritize enterprise over humanitarianism. (5)
While all shoulders are proverbially being put to the wheel in this time of urgent need, the clear eyed among us need to monitor the predations of the disaster capitalists utilising their “shock doctrine” for profit as we saw, for example after Hurricane Irma in Barbuda. (6)
(1) Reuters (05/11/25) Jamaica PM says hurricane Melissa caused damage equivalent to nearly one-third of GDP. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/05/jamaica-pm-says-hurricane-melissa-caused-damage-equivalent-to-nearly-one-third-of-gdp; Juhttps://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/category-6-hurricane-melissa-climate-change-b2857684.htmllia Musto (03/11/25) Category 6 is the new hurricane normal, scientists warn.
(2) Ibid.
(3) Medianet Live (06/11/25) Jamaica Hurricane Melissa Response. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Twzo-iKWp4&t=7758s. Commnets by Alexander Williams at a community meetings organised by Lee Jasper and Medianet Live.
(4) Reuters (29/10/25) UK deploys over $3 million to support Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/uk-deploys-over-3-million-support-jamaica-after-hurricane-melissa-2025-10-29/; Medianet Live. Op. Cit. Comments by Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Nadine White and Jacqueline McKenzie made references to reparations; Nadine White (30/10/25) Hurricane Melissa: How can we help from the UK? https://www.blackcurrentnews.co.uk/p/hurricane-melissa-how-can-we-help
(5) Medianet Live. Op. Cit.; Travel And Tour World (10/11/25) Jamaica Set to Fully Reopen Its Tourism Sector by December 15, With Swift Infrastructure Restoration Underway After the Impact of Hurricane Melissa. https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/jamaica-set-to-fully-reopen-its-tourism-sector-by-december-15-with-swift-infrastructure-restoration-underway-after-the-impact-of-hurricane-melissa/
(6) Naomi Klein (06/07/17) How power profits from disaster. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/06/naomi-klein-how-power-profits-from-disaster; Afrika Speaks with Alkebu-Lan on Galaxy Radio (13/05/24) Can we save Barbuda? https://www.mixcloud.com/AfrikaSpeaks/can-we-save-barbuda-130524/
we ask the question:
What now for Jamaica?
1) Are category 5 or 6 hurricanes “the new normal”?
2) Should families be allowed to stay in the UK during the recovery period?
3) What role does UK;s colonial legacy play, if any?
4) Can Jamaica avoid the “shock doctrine”?
Our Special Guests:
Sis. Savannah and Sis. Nubia: of Diaspora Action, a collective effort comprised of Mi Soon Come Deh, The Books Dem, Home Radio, shewritestooloud, The Umoja Projects, and individual community advocates who care and have joined to maximise action and assist in minimising the gap between us (Diaspora) and home. Diaspora Action was birthed out of the desire to assist countries affected by Hurricane Melissa, particularly Jamaica, but we intend to further our assistance to Cuba and Haiti, and more crises.
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