Jamaica’s electrical and water infrastructure is too fragile, exposed, and outdated to be restored in the old way. The scale of the damage shows that reconstruction requires redesign for future climate conditions. It would be a mistake to pour billions of dollars into reconstruction without upgrading the design assumptions.

Electricity and water systems are the backbone of national productivity, with some of the highest economic multipliers. When these systems fail, entire sectors – tourism, health, education, and commerce – shut down simultaneously, amplifying economic losses.

The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) warned that inadequate infrastructure is already constraining tourism growth and undermining investor confidence. As JHTA President Christopher Jarrett noted, failing roads, water, and power systems are not inconveniences but weaknesses that raise costs and erode Jamaica’s competitive advantage.