Team members from Ramsay’s Professional Services prepare and package care items at their Kingston office ahead of distribution to residents in Westmoreland affected by Hurricane Melissa.
IT’S shaping up to be a bleak Christmas for many individuals and small business owners in eastern Jamaica, who are now facing financial strain, not only from personal losses but also from stepping in to support recovery efforts in the west.
In recent weeks, the Small Business Association of Jamaica (SBAJ) and the Young Entrepreneurs Association (YEA) have both urged the Government to extend support to small business operators through tax breaks and targeted financing, while individuals continue to call for loan moratoria and leniency from financial institutions. Their calls echo growing frustration among entrepreneurs on the ground who told the Jamaica Observer they are stretched thin after weeks of self-funded relief work in communities still awaiting formal Government assistance.
“To get ready for the hurricane, I spent over $50,000 on essentials like food, water, and supplies and made sure the house was as secure as possible with tarps and other materials. When the storm suddenly changed course and hit my family’s homes directly, causing roof damage, loss of livelihoods, and even a life, I had to jump in to help.
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