Andrew Holness@AndrewHolnessJM
As we face the realities of climate change, we must accept that in our lifetimes we will experience more disasters. Another storm will come. So, we must build resilience.
Resilience means that when we are hit by a shock, we get back up. We repair, we rebuild, we return to normalcy. But true resilience is more than simply putting back a sheet of zinc on the roof. It is making sure that when the next wind or rain comes, that zinc stays on. It means adding the hurricane strap, improving the roof design, or in some cases choosing a safer location to live.
We must now live with this mindset. Consider this, Hurricane Beryl only glanced Jamaica, but it severely affected Clarendon, Manchester, and St. Elizabeth. If Melissa had followed the same path, would those communities, still recovering, have been able to withstand it?
These are the realities we must factor into how we build, where we build, and how we prepare. Resilience must guide the choices we make going forward.