SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland — Industry, Investment and Commerce Minister Senator Aubyn Hill says efforts will be made this week to tie down funding for Hurricane Melissa-hit micro-businesses that need help to recover.

“The prime minister at the time directed Minister [of Finance and the Public Service, Fayval] Williams and myself to work with DBJ [Development Bank of Jamaica)] to get $1 billion Jamaican dollars to just start to help businesses. And again, not the ones that are established — the ones that really, really need help to come back up,” stated Hill.

“We now have the data; we’re going to try and get the money this coming week to make sure we begin that process,” added the minister, who was addressing a Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce and Industry meeting last Wednesday night. The meeting was held at Hotel Commingle in Savanna-la-Mar.

Hill said different methods of disbursing payments to business operators in need are being explored. One possible method is WiPay.

“We are looking at ways to make sure we can get the money quickly to people, because if you start to open bank accounts, you know, that’s another issue. It takes a long time before you get people into the banks because that’s the way it is,” explained the minister.

According to Hill’s figures, during 2025 to 2026 the National Export-Import Bank of Jamaica — which falls under his ministry — distributed $2.1 billion to ordinary micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. The plan for 2026 to 2027 is to loan approximately $1.7 billion.

“That’s apart from the $1 billion that I’m seeking to go directly to the small businesses that have not yet found a way to restore themselves but are important to the communities in which they reside,” the minister explained.

During the meeting, members of the business community listed issues that make it difficult for them to survive, let alone thrive. Internet service was one of the major points raised.

While some improvements have been made on the mobile side of the network, business owners complain that nine months after the Category 5 storm, most enterprises are still without landline or fibre Internet service from the country’s largest telecommunications provider. Hill has instructed his team to draft a letter to Flow Jamaica General Manager Stephen Price to bring the issue to his attention.

“I want a follow-up four business days after we send it because part of my job has to be to advocate for those who don’t have the voice or the platform that I have. And therefore, I’m saying to you that I will take that issue further up,” the minister assured those looking to him for solutions.

The Internet was just one of five key areas requiring urgent attention that were presented during the more than six-hour meeting, which included private and public sessions. Also making the list was the need for a new market for Savanna-la-Mar, in a new location. The chamber and the town’s Mayor Danree Delancy both noted that the current market, severely damaged by the hurricane, is located on the coast and is regularly impacted by flooding.

“The first big storm that comes, more water is going to come over it again. You just can’t keep doing that. I’m going to take it to Cabinet and say, ‘Look, we have to be reminded… that Savanna-la-Mar is below sea level. And so, fixing the market is not simply clearing it out and getting it back, because we’re right now in the hurricane season,” argued Hill.

Garbage collection, town enhancement and development, an investment facilitation programme for financial assistance, and road rehabilitation were also on the list.

Hill noted that, as is the case for markets, garbage collection falls under the Local Government Ministry, not his. However, he waded into the issue, saying despite “the shortage of money in NSWMA [National Solid Waste Management Authority]”, the town should be kept clean.

Regarding town enhancement and development, Hill emphasised that Prime Minister Andrew Holness is concerned about the matter. He noted that while Westmoreland is sometimes perceived as forgotten, St Thomas — which is currently undergoing massive development — was previously in a similar situation.

On the issue of poor road conditions, Hill pointed to the work-in-progress One Road Authority as the solution.

“The road building for Westmoreland is part of a national road-building system. Unless when you come to a place like Savanna-la-Mar where people live, and must move around, if it’s crowded some basic things can be done,” he said.