By Dean Jones – Chartered Construction Manager, Project Manager, Surveyor, and Realtor
A Nation Tested Beyond Measure
Hurricane Melissa has left an indelible mark on Jamaica — not just on the landscape, but on the nation’s conscience. With sustained winds exceeding 185 miles per hour, the Category 5 storm tore across the island, ripping apart homes, uprooting communities, and testing the limits of Jamaica’s infrastructure and digital resilience.
Entire districts in Westmoreland, Black River, and Treasure Beach have been described as “ground zero.” Local assessments indicate that up to 80–90% of roofs in some communities were destroyed. The scenes resemble the aftermath of war — neighbourhoods flattened, homes peeled open, and residents struggling to rebuild from scratch.
“It’s as if a nuclear blast hit,” says Dean Jones, a Chartered Construction Manager and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB). “Melissa didn’t just strip roofs; it exposed the weak seams in how we plan, bui…
