Howard Beckford | Jamaica and the politics of chaos after Hurricane Melissa

In the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, Jamaicans are again confronting a familiar but uncomfortable truth: disasters do not affect all groups equally. Some communities quickly regain normalcy while others are thrown into prolonged disorder. This pattern raises an important national question: Who benefits from chaos, and who suffers from it?

Small island developing states ike Jamaica live in a permanent state of environmental and economic vulnerability. Our size, infrastructure, and geography place us at constant risk. Yet the benefits of stability do not flow evenly, and the burdens of disorder often fall on the same groups every time disaster strikes.

Hurricane Melissa has exposed this divide with unusual clarity. The events of the past weeks show that chaos is not simply an unfortunate by-product of disaster. It is also a reflection of the way we govern, plan, and prioritise.

TWO JAMAICAS IN A SINGLE STORM

Long before Melissa, Jamaica operated with two parallel systems. On one side stood the structured spaces of national life: the hotels, gated communities, regulated businesses, and government ministries. These sectors-maintained order through rules, protocols, security, and continuous planning.

On the other side were most ordinary Jamaicans — informal traders, commuters, rural families, and the urban working class — who navigated unpredictable conditions daily. Their exposure was not due to lack of effort but to structural issues that allowed disorder to become their typical environment.

Hurricanes magnify these differences. Those who live in ordered spaces tend to have resources, information, and networks that cushion the shock. Those who live outside these systems or are unaware of the risks they pose often bear the most significant impact.

When the state fails to manage chaos, the vulnerable pay the highest price.

A COUNTRY STILL UNPREPARED

Despite decades of experience with major storms, Jamaica’s preparation for Hurricane Melissa showed clear weaknesses. The scattered communication, inconsistent mobilisation, and uneven community response are not new problems. But in today’s climate environment — where storms intensify faster, rainfall is heavier, and recovery costs continue to rise — they are far more dangerous.

The old formula of “board up, brace, rebuild” is no longer sufficient. Global climate trends demand a new level of organisation. International guidelines such as the ISO 31000 risk-management standard exist to help governments build resilience even though the standard itself is not certifiable. Its purpose is to provide a tested framework for identifying, assessing, and managing national risks.

The aftermath of Hurricane Melissa suggests that Jamaica’s risk-management approach did not fully align with those principles. Whether through resource limitations, institutional fragmentation, or lack of coordination, the end result was the same: we reaped chaos.

WHO SHOULD LEAD DISASTER PREPAREDNESS?

One of the most striking lessons from recent years is the difference in public confidence across Jamaican institutions. Research and public sentiment consistently identify the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and the Judiciary as two entities that have significantly strengthened their credibility since independence. Their reputation for discipline and professionalism sets them apart.

This matters because modern national security is no longer defined by military conflict but by risk management. For countries like Jamaica, disasters are the most predictable threats. Our ability to respond to them is, therefore, a core security issue.

It is worth asking whether Jamaica should reconsider who leads national disaster preparedness. Many countries place their military forces at the centre of emergency command because of their structure, training, logistics capacity, and ability to mobilise quickly and without institutional confusion.

A JDF-led disaster-preparedness system would bring several advantages:

• Clear chain of command

• Continuous training and readiness

• Logistics expertise

• National trust and credibility

• Reduced bureaucracy and faster deployment

Civilian-led agencies play important roles, but they often face divided loyalties, limited resources, or political pressures. The military, by contrast, operates with a single focus: execute the mission.

This is not an argument for militarising everyday governance. It is an argument for recognising that disasters require the type of discipline and coherence that the JDF is uniquely equipped to provide.

Another issue that has gone largely unexamined is the influx of foreign volunteers, NGOs, and relief groups in the days after Hurricane Melissa. While many are genuinely helpful, the question remains: Who vetted these actors? In moments of national vulnerability, screening becomes a security necessity.

Criminal networks, opportunistic organisations, and other bad actors have used disaster zones worldwide as entry points. Jamaica should not assume immunity from similar risks. Proper vetting – ideally coordinated with consular services and security agencies – must be part of national disaster planning.

Disaster relief should never create new vulnerabilities.

A TURNING POINT

Hurricane Melissa should serve as more than another chapter in our long history with storms. It should be the moment Jamaica accepts that hope cannot substitute for preparedness. The country must decide whether it will continue to rely on fragmented systems or adopt a unified, disciplined approach to national risk.

We know who suffers from chaos. The better question is whether we are ready to build a system where every Jamaican — regardless of class or community — benefits from order.

A stronger, more coherent disaster-preparedness framework is not beyond our reach, but it requires decisive action, clear leadership, and national recognition that the patterns exposed by Melissa cannot continue.

Chaos always rewards the prepared. Jamaica must choose whether it wishes to be among them.

Howard C. Beckford is an agricultural engineer. He is a retired assistant criminal division manager in the New Jersey Judiciary. Send feedback to hbecky8289@gmail.com.