FLOODING and destruction have become routine for one businessman at his restaurant in Long Bay, Portland, but he’s adamant that he’ll never abandon the disaster-prone area because he feels deeply connected to the community.
The businessman, who identified himself as Tamero, was born and raised in Long Bay and would often visit the beach to relax and swim. He built his restaurant, Cool Vibz, at a section of the beach more than 20 years ago.
Since then, he’s formed strong connections with residents and tourists who regularly visit his restaurant for seafood dishes. A fisherman for more than 20 years, Tamero told the Jamaica Observer that he catches the creatures and prepares them on the beach.
“A yah suh my mother give birth to me in Portland, and my daddy [is] from Spanish Town in St Catherine. I went to Spanish Town couple years ago and live there but that is not my environment. A right yah suh me a stay, on the seashore. The people are friendly, it nice, it relaxing, and peaceful,” he told the Sunday Observer team that visited the disaster-prone area last week, a few days into the Atlantic hurricane season that runs from June 1 to November 30 — spanning 183 days.

Cool Vibz restaurant is seen at a section of the Long Bay, Portland, coastline. It has been destroyed and rebuilt more than three times.

Tamero shared that his restaurant has been destroyed by hurricanes and heavy rains more than three times, but he always rebuilds.
“This is what I know for many years now; I’ve been on the sea for years. I’m 42 years old and I have been here more than 20 years. Every time hurricane impact the place, all we have to do is just set it up again,” he said.
The businessman shared that when Hurricane Beryl passed the island last July his shop — originally built in the sand — got washed away by heavy waves. He recounted watching as waves splashed water as high as his kitchen counter, but he was not daunted.
Instead, he said after the hurricane skirted the island he began his routine clean-up, and reached out to family members and friends overseas who all chipped in and helped him rebuild.
“It did neater and smaller [than how it is now] and Beryl mash it up so the place looks a little different. It was very low down in the sand, and the sea dug it up and mash it up, but I rebuild it with a new system. I made a concrete foundation and build the shop on top of it so that it’s not in the sand anymore,” he explained.
However, the roof for the outside dining area of the restaurant remains unfinished.
“I leave it open up same way and a suh me a guh leave it because if I put on more stuff up there, by July it gone again. So, I won’t waste my money,” Tamero told the Sunday Observer.
He pointed to houses near the stretch of beach, noting that many of them have been vacant for months due to roof damage and flooding that resulted from waves crashing over retaining walls. He said the owners’ unwillingness to repair their houses is a sign that he must not invest too much into upgrading his restaurant.
Now, eight days into the 2025 hurricane season, the Meteorological Service of Jamaica has predicted three to five major hurricanes for the season, with its Director Evan Thompson saying these weather systems could range from categories three to five.
International and regional forecasters have also predicted an active hurricane season that could bring more than six hurricanes.
However, despite the predictions, Tamero said he has done nothing to prepare his restaurant for the season.
“Which preparation?” he asked, laughing.
“I am going to prepare for my house because I have to sleep in that at nighttime, but this a guh go weh and come back every time,” he added.
The businessman also expressed scepticism about reports that the hurricane season will be an active one.
“Every year we have hurricane threat in Portland. Sometimes it connect and sometimes nothing happens, and the whole year we go through and we don’t get any storm. So, we just keep we fingers cross and hope for the best,” he said.