On Wednesday, July 3, 2024, Hurricane Beryl, the strongest-ever hurricane so early in the year, passed in proximity to Jamaica. There are two important revelations from the passing of this tropical cyclone.

The first and most important revelation to Christians, atheists, agnostics, creationists, and evolutionists alike is that there is a divine force beyond man’s ability to comprehend much less stop. Man must be forever searching, ever pursuing, but never fully understanding the God of Genesis 1:1, who, in the beginning, created Heaven and Earth. Paul, the apostle, who wrote most of the New Testament, expressed the aspirational nature of his relationship with the Christ of the Godhead this way: “That I may know him and the power of his resurrection…” (Philippians 3:10 KJV)

God, in his infinite wisdom, has not left humankind without knowledge of his existence and power. He reveals himself in creation through nature. Quoting from the Bible: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech, night after night they reveal knowledge.” (Psalm 19:1-2 NIV) This passage of scripture establishes God’s existence and power, evidenced through solar and lunar eclipses; earthquakes and tsunamis; storms and hurricanes.

There is a second, deeply troubling revelation, which is deserving of some examination. Hurricane Beryl exposed the inhumaneness of social economic models, policies, and actions through which man exercises dominion over Earth’s resources. The resulting lack of inclusiveness and equity in the allocation of resources run contrary to the widely held assertion so boldly declared in the United States Declaration of Independence that all men are created equal.

In Jamaica’s top-down, trickle-down, devil-takes-the-hindmost economy and society, Hurricane Beryl was selective in choosing who suffered the most. The poor, the ghetto and gully bank dwellers; the homeless, who like stray animals were left to the ravages of the elements; the uncared for elderly and sick; those perceived to be of no more worth than their vote suffered disproportionately compared to society’s well-off.

Scenes of the refuse of humanity seeking shelter under pieces of cardboard along the usually bustling streets of the capital; mothers and children with desperation etched on their faces, forced from their homes by the imminent threat of being washed away and drowning to take refuge in ill-prepared public shelters; the mournful wailing of a man who helplessly watched his spouse lose her life to a fallen tree. These are but a few of the horror scenes carried by television that amplified the reality of the two Jamaicas we have come to accept and normalise.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness (second right) greets a resident during a visit to Rocky Point Community Centre in Clarendon on July 6, where several displaced persons are being housed following the passage of Hurricane Beryl. (Photo: JIS)

In their study titled ‘Poverty and Hurricane Risk Exposure in Jamaica’ (2020), Nekeisha Spence and Eric Strobl wrote insightfully: “Hurricanes, in particular, have been shown to negatively impact economic welfare, especially that of the most vulnerable households.” Take housing, for example. The type of building materials used in construction and where people choose to build are important components in the poverty equation and a significant determinant of hurricane resilience.

Beyond placing a monetary value on the physical damage caused by the destruction, the assessment that follows each catastrophe does not adequately take into account the human toll on lives and livelihood, especially of persons at the base of the social and economic pyramid. These impacts have been proven to include increased poverty, especially among children and the elderly; reduced production and consumption of goods and services; widening income disparity between rich and poor; displacement and compounding problems relating to human habitat and settlement; increased social tension leading to crime and violence; and poor mental health outcomes compared to people with greater resources.

For low-income hurricane survivors, the problems can continue well into the future after electricity and water supply have been restored, roads have been cleared, debris have been removed, and a few sheets of zinc have been handed out to repair roofs damaged by high winds. The increasing frequency and severity of weather systems caused by climate change translates naturally to increased suffering of marginalised communities and people. What are the answers to the vexing reality of inequality which undermines social cohesiveness and harmony?

First, and on an ongoing basis, Jamaica must make the necessary adjustments to its socio-economic model by investing significantly more in human and social capital so that it is inclusive and supports equity for all. Second, the approach to disaster mitigation must reflect a shift to greater emphasis on building resilience not just at the national and macro level of the economy but at the community and individual levels too.

Failing that, we will be like sitting ducks waiting for the next disaster to happen.

Henley Morgan

Dr Henley Morgan is founder and executive chairman of the Trench Town-based Social Enterprise, Agency for Inner-city Renewal and author of My Trench Town Journey — Lessons in Social Entrepreneurship and Community Transformation for Development Leaders, Policy Makers, Academics and Practitioners. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or hmorgan@cwjamaica.com.