Few Black River firms back online months after Hurricane Melissa, chamber says

Only a small share of businesses hit by Hurricane Melissa in Black River have restarted, according to Black River Chamber of Commerce president Katie Myers Brown, who warned that the drawn-out recovery is weighing heavily on livelihoods in St. Elizabeth.

Myers Brown said roughly 15 to 20 per cent of affected enterprises in the town are operating again, while just about 5 per cent of the chamber’s own members have resumed. She cited a St. Elizabeth Homecoming Foundation survey showing employment and income among firms with 10 workers or fewer fell by 87 per cent after the storm.

Speaking with RJR News, she said many non-member owners are now asking the chamber to press their case amid unease about the speed of recovery and the response from government and lenders. She urged stronger backing from bodies such as the Development Bank of Jamaica, noting that large numbers of operators were uninsured or underinsured when Melissa struck, and called for more targeted aid so firms in Black River and across St. Elizabeth can rebuild.

Separately, the Financial Services Commission reported that membership in approved individual retirement schemes climbed by more than 1,000 per cent over 14 years, from just under 8,000 in 2010 to more than 90,000 last year. Those schemes held $90.7 billion in assets at year-end. Even with fewer pension plans in total, pension funds still managed $755 billion in assets at the end of last year.

On the Jamaica Stock Exchange for the July 10, 2026 session, the most actively traded stocks were Trans Jamaica Highway Limited (3,197,027 units, 17.82 per cent of market sales), Dollar Financial Services Limited (2,041,454 units, 13.38 per cent), and Tropical Battery Company Limited (1,655,652 units, 9.23 per cent). Activity was concentrated in transportation and finance.

Bank of Jamaica data for the same date showed brisk foreign-exchange trading. The US dollar sold at $159.65 and was bought at $157.69. The Canadian dollar sold at $114.23 and was bought at $108.73, a $5.50 spread. The British pound sold at $213.71, with banks recording a $5.68 trading margin amid short-term volatility.

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