My fellow Jamaicans,
In the past few months, Jamaica has been tested—again—by forces of nature that remind us of our blessings, our beauty, and our vulnerabilities. After my conversations on CMV TV and Nationwide FM, I felt it necessary to put these thoughts in writing. This is not just commentary. This is an open letter to my country: a call to rethink how we build, how we secure our communities, and how we protect the Jamaica we love.
At the start of my interview, I made it clear that in moments like these, as a nation, we must stand by our leaders. We need to support them, offer constructive ideas, and recognise when strong leadership is guiding us through difficult times. Based on our current circumstances and the challenges we face, I believe we have the right person at the helm—someone capable, steady, and suited for this moment. I do not believe there is anyone better positioned right now to lead the country through this period of rebuilding and resilience.
Jamaica is still paradise.
The sun shines most of the year.
We remain the jewel of the Caribbean.
People from all over the world are drawn here, invest here, settle here.
But paradise comes with a price.
We are a small island sitting on a geological fault line. We live in the hurricane belt. These realities are not new—Gilbert didn’t introduce us to hurricanes, and the earth tremors of recent years didn’t suddenly reveal seismic activity.
Florida faces the same risks. Yet people rebuild there, invest there, and improve. That is what resilience looks like. That is what Jamaica must now do—again.
We strengthened our building code after Hurricane Gilbert, and we did it well. Today, decades later, it is time to strengthen it again. This isn’t optional. This isn’t “nice to have.” This is survival, and it is opportunity.
1. Mandatory Hurricane Straps: Non-Negotiable for Every New Build and Retrofit
If it is not already fully enforced under the Building Act, let us say it clearly: mandatory hurricane straps must apply to all new constructions and retrofits across the country.
Hurricane straps are not expensive. They are not complicated. They are not decorative.
They save lives.
They create a continuous load path from roof to foundation, ensuring that when the wind lifts, the house resists—not collapses. For a hurricane-prone country, this should be as normal as installing a door.
2. Concrete Roofs in Coastal Zones—Government First, Private Sector Next
Government buildings near the coastline should only be constructed with reinforced concrete roofs. Not zinc. Not asphalt shingles. Concrete.
Why?
Because government buildings must operate during disasters. They serve as shelters, coordination centres, clinics, and emergency hubs. A damaged roof is not an inconvenience—it is a national setback.
And after government buildings set the example, we must consider making the same requirement for private construction along beach and storm-exposed areas. This does not mean restricting development. It means protecting the investments and the people who occupy them.
3. Increased Steel Reinforcement Near the Coast
Storm surge and wind uplift are not theoretical risks—they are engineering realities.
We need:
Thicker steel reinforcement
Higher-grade rebar
More robust structural detailing
Design considerations specifically accounting for wave impact and lateral loading
Buildings along the coastline must meet a higher standard because the risks are higher. This is not red tape; this is responsible planning.
4. Stronger Foundations: Piling, Deep Footings, and Soil Stabilisation
Much of Jamaica’s coastline has sandy or unstable soil. Erosion is a longstanding issue, and sea-level rise will make it worse.
We must reassess the foundation types we allow near the sea.
This means:
Wider use of piling
Deeper foundations that anchor below unstable layers
Better soil compaction and stabilisation
Geotechnical reports that are actually enforced, not just filed
If the soil shifts, the building shifts. If the land erodes, the house collapses. We must build as if we know this—because we do.
5. Drainage and Low-Lying Developments: Developers Must Share Responsibility
Jamaica cannot keep approving developments in low-lying areas without a long-term drainage plan. It is not enough for developers to build houses. They must help build resilience.
If they choose to build in a flood-prone zone, they must:
Provide engineered drainage solutions
Conduct and publish flood-risk assessments
Inform buyers of known risks
Design systems that can handle climate-driven rainfall changes
Buyers deserve honesty, and Jamaica deserves infrastructure that looks beyond the next quarter’s profit.
6. The Unfinished Homes Conversation
Across Jamaica, half-finished homes sit for years—sometimes decades. In many cases, a breadwinner passes away, a dispute arises, or a mortgage stalls, and construction simply stops.
But what happens next?
Unfinished homes:
Attract squatters
Lower neighbouring property values
Become safety hazards
Contribute to community decay
We need a national conversation about:
How long homes should reasonably remain unfinished
Whether temporary coverings or protections should be required
How to support families dealing with death or disputes
Whether municipal incentives or penalties are appropriate
There is no easy answer, but silence will not solve it.
7. A Fully Digital Land Registry: Transparent, Instant, Secure
Jamaica needs a fully digital land registry—not a PDF download, not a partial scan, but a true online system with:
Geospatial mapping
Real-time boundary updates
Click-to-view ownership
Automatic notifications
Blockchain-level audit trails
Nationwide accessibility
Think of it like this:
A digital land registry is an online map and notebook that shows who owns every piece of land. Instead of searching through dusty files, you click on a computer screen and instantly see:
The real owner
The boundaries
The history
The documents
This would cut fraud, speed up conveyancing, and modernise our entire property system.
8. A Government Technology Overhaul
Too many ministries still use outdated software, siloed databases, and weak cybersecurity systems.
A full government-wide systems review is needed—not to replace people, but to empower them. Jamaicans deserve fast, secure, transparent services.
9. National Backup Infrastructure: Redundancy is Survival
When disaster strikes, backups are not optional.
We need redundancy in:
Electricity
Water supply
Data storage
Communication networks
Emergency coordination systems
Hospitals, shelters, police communications, and disaster agencies must never go dark.
10. Banking Resilience: What Happened Cannot Happen Again
When the last major outage occurred, ATMs failed nationwide. That is unacceptable.
Banks must be required to have:
Backup power at all branches
Offline cash-out systems
Temporary mobile hubs
Redundant communication links
The financial system cannot collapse just because the lights blink.
11. Affordable Insurance Reform
Insurance must not be a luxury item.
Jamaica needs:
A rethinking of regulations
Modernised risk pooling
Government-backed catastrophe insurance
Incentives for climate-resilient construction
Tiered coverage that real families can actually afford
If people can’t insure their homes, their homes cannot recover.
12. Crime-Prevention Technology: A Modern Approach to Public Safety
Resilience includes safety.
Jamaica must increase:
CCTV coverage
License-plate reader systems
Integrated monitoring centres
Predictive policing tools
Technology won’t replace police work, but it will support it.
Real Estate in Jamaica Is Shifting Toward Resilience-Based Value
The future buyer won’t ask:
“How big is the kitchen?”
They will ask:
Is the house earthquake-resistant?
Is it hurricane-resilient?
Is it built on safe elevation?
Does it have proper foundations and drainage?
Was it designed with climate change in mind?
A home built with resilience is not a luxury.
It is future-proofing.
It is generational wealth.
It is protection.
Homes that withstand storms will be in extremely high demand for decades.
Final Words: Jamaica Is Still Paradise—But We Must Build Wisely
During the last beta interview, they asked me if we should “leave Black River alone.” My answer was simple: No—not necessarily. Florida faces hurricanes regularly and yet it remains one of the most beautiful and highly developed coastal regions in the United States. People live there, invest there, and rebuild there. But they do it with sense. Paradise comes with a cost, yes—but the answer is not to abandon coastal towns. The answer is to build responsibly.
What I made clear during the interview is this: if we are going to build back in places like Black River, we must be absolutely careful what we build and how we build it. This is not the time to repeat the weaknesses of the past. Foundations must be engineered properly—whether that means deeper footings, piling systems, or full geotechnical preparation. Roofs must be reinforced. Structural elements must be designed to handle wind uplift, storm surge, and seismic activity. You can’t simply put back the same structures that failed before. That doesn’t make sense. If we choose to rebuild, we must rebuild with intention, engineering, and foresight.
Because to protect paradise, we must respect its power.
The government’s recent move toward temporary and modular structures—using shipping containers—is a step in the right direction, as long as foundations and anchors are engineered properly. Loads must pass down safely. Buildings must not fail.
We have the knowledge.
We have the engineers.
We have the talent.
What we need now is the will.
It is time to build back Jamaica stronger—
Not with fear,
Not with panic,
But with confidence, intelligence, and determination.
Let us rise to the moment.
Let us build a Jamaica where resilience is normal.
Let us protect our people, our property, and our paradise.
Respectfully,
Dean Jones
THIS IS AN EDITED VERSION OF MY ORIGINAL POST. I HAVE UPDATED THE INTRODUCTION AND CLOSING SECTIONS TO REFLECT ADDITIONAL CONTEXT FROM MY INTERVIEW AND TO ENSURE THE MESSAGE IS COMPLETE AND ACCURATE BEFORE RESENDING.
DISCLAIMER
THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS OPEN LETTER REPRESENT THE PERSONAL OPINIONS AND PROFESSIONAL OBSERVATIONS OF DEAN JONES AND ARE INTENDED FOR INFORMATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THEY DO NOT CONSTITUTE LEGAL, ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURAL, OR FINANCIAL ADVICE. READERS SHOULD CONSULT QUALIFIED AND LICENSED PROFESSIONALS BEFORE MAKING DECISIONS RELATED TO CONSTRUCTION, STRUCTURAL DESIGN, REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS, INSURANCE COVERAGE, COASTAL DEVELOPMENT, OR DISASTER PREPAREDNESS. WHILE EVERY EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO ENSURE ACCURACY, JAMAICA’S BUILDING CODES, REGULATIONS, STANDARDS, AND PUBLIC POLICIES MAY EVOLVE OVER TIME, AND INTERPRETATIONS MAY VARY. STATEMENTS REGARDING CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES, FOUNDATION TYPES, COASTAL REBUILDING, OR RESILIENCE-BASED DESIGN ARE GENERAL IN NATURE AND MAY NOT APPLY TO SPECIFIC SITES OR PROJECTS. NEITHER THE AUTHOR NOR THE PUBLISHER ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ACTIONS TAKEN, DECISIONS MADE, OR OUTCOMES ARISING FROM THE USE OR RELIANCE ON THE CONTENT OF THIS ARTICLE.