Patterson urges Jamaica, Jamaicans to rebuild with resilience for the future

Amid scenes and images of the widespread devastation to the island’s southwestern coastal parishes following the passage of the record-breaking Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, former Prime Minister PJ Patterson is urging Jamaica and Jamaicans to rebuild with resilience as the move forward from the disaster.

Patterson and former Prime Minister Bruce Golding were named by Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness as individuals who would be playing a part in the process to rebuild, though the specifics of the role they would play were not defined.

Patterson, speaking with The Gleaner, said he would be willing to play whatever role he could.

The former prime minister, who weathered many hurricanes and storms during his 14-year tenure as head of government, said Melissa ignored colour, class and religion in her destructive sojourn to the island seven days earlier. Noting the devastating impact on utilities, especially Jamaica Public Service (JPS) light posts, and the housing stock, he said rebuilding cannot be business as usual in charting he way forward.

“For how much longer can we continue to do our utilities by wire? We have looked at it before, to put it underground is a very, very costly and expensive exercise. But if every year, we're going to have to do a replacement of our wires, we're going to reach a stage where we might just as well have invested, made a start in a certain area by doing what we have to do. I'm not, in this interview, going to dwell too much on the relief aspect, except to say that from my experience over the years, I understand the magnitude of the task and the challenges which any administration faces in responding everywhere at the level which is required…” Patterson said.

The destruction has seen JPS infrastructure wiped out in the affected areas and the light and power company's equipment has suffered significantly over the years as a result of natural disasters. In sections of Manchester and Clarendon, the infrastructure was almost wiped out during the passage of Hurricane Beryl in August 2024. The rehabilitation process took months before electricity was restored in sections of Clarendon, Manchester and St Elizabeth.

Years ago, during the development of the Hope Pastures community, persons were drawn to purchase homes there as utilities were underground. The light and power company was sued when it decided to discontinue underground service.

The matter is still in the courts on appeal.

According to Patterson, the rebuilding process requires a national and unified effort, and it is essential that no consideration of politics and religion be involved in an already difficult situation. Should such considerations become part of the process, he said it would make rebuilding impossible.

Patterson spoke not only of utility poles but also housing materials, especially what is used for roofing.

“It is no point putting on more zinc without proper battening down, only for the next hurricane to blow away the sheet of zinc that we have just put on. What is necessary is to realise we have to use this adversity to rebuild Jamaica in a more positive and creative way. We have to take into account present-day technology. We have to be building not only for this generation, but for future generations utilising the unique characteristics of the environment, taking into account our topography and our culture, and the best practises around the world to create a new foundation that requires a master planning framework that is uniquely Jamaican and will bless this and generations yet to come," the former prime minister urged.

A unique and collaborative planning committee of minds, both local and from the diaspora, will be needed to lead the process. The rebuilding must be technologically driven, and must include patriotic Jamaicans who will help to maintain certain cultural traditions unique to the island.

“We have to build a partnership. I have spoken earlier about the call for national unity, but I want to expand on it. To begin with, the Government of the day has a lead responsibility in the whole process of relief. There are agencies of state established to perform these functions, but they are all going to be stretched beyond their limit. Even within the structure of our legislature, there is a majority side and a minority side…,” he explained.

Continuing, he said: “The parliamentary system demands, at a time of national crisis, for there to be proper governance to ensure a response that is adequate. There must be a coalescence of effort and also of purpose."

Going further, he said the country’s Constitution does not recognise political parties, but they are a reality and play an important part in the lives of the citizenry.

“Between the two major political parties and the churches, there is a national outreach. So, the churches, which not only have a spiritual responsibility and capacity, also have institutions and organisations that can help in the relief effort. And we mustn't forget that Hurricane Melissa didn't give the churches any favourable blessing. So, we have to get a fabric that brings together all the elements that constitute national life, including community organisations wherever they exist,” the former prime minister urged.

Patterson, who served as member of parliament in Westmoreland Eastern, said he knows of the devastation to the areas firsthand. Accordingly, he said relief and rebuilding efforts must include individuals from the communities in the affected parish, the elected representatives, and caretakers.

“We have to accept and appreciate that, in those constituencies which are represented at the present time by one party, there is a significant group that is of a different political persuasion. So, while the MP has a legislative and constitutional function to perform in terms of the relief effort, it has to be a cooperative exercise between the ,ember of parliament as a leader in that constituency and what we call the political caretaker in the constituency. This is no time for division. It's neither green nor orange. We are all in this together…” he told The Gleaner.

erica.virtue@gleanerjm.com