ST JAMES, Jamaica – Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce president and Pier 1 operator Jason Russell is urging the ‘Second City’ to shift focus from destruction to recovery and resilience following the impact of Hurricane Melissa.

Russell, speaking from beneath one of the few surviving palm trees at Pier 1, said the city must now rally together:
“We see the destruction… but I can’t dwell on all that has happened. We have to dwell on the recovery.”

He encouraged business owners to reopen where possible, restart operations, and help staff return to work.

“Don’t let it cripple you. We’ve lost roofs, pets, cars, material things… but there’s a lot of hope. Recovery starts with us.”

Russell announced that Pier 1 has reopened with curbside service, offering meals and support as Montego Bay works to rebuild.
“Let’s go, Mobay. Let’s lift and rise.”

Hurricane Melissa made landfall last Tuesday in the southwest of Jamaica as a ferocious Category 5 storm with estimated 185 mph winds and torrential rainfall, killing more than 30 people and leaving nearly 80 per cent of Jamaica Public Service (JPS) customers in darkness.

The preliminary estimate of the damage has been put at between US$6 billion and US$7 billion, or a staggering $1 trillion.

According to Prime Minister Andrew Holness, the storm struck the heart of Jamaica’s productive belt, tearing through the breadbasket parish of St Elizabeth, while disrupting the tourism corridor stretching from Westmoreland through St James and into Trelawny and St Ann.

The storm inflicted heavy damage on housing, community infrastructure, commercial operations, and public utilities across multiple parishes.