Montego Bay, St James, 24 June 2026
Jamaicans overseas have been urged to take an active part in helping the island adapt to and recover from climate shocks, with a senior aviation official describing resilience as a shared responsibility that stretches across borders.
Richard Gibbs, a Senior Director at the Airports Authority of Jamaica (AAJ), made the appeal on 15 June at the Governor-General’s Diaspora Achievement Awards, held on the opening day of the 11th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in Rose Hall.
A joint effort
Mr Gibbs said building a more climate-resilient Jamaica will require the combined work of citizens at home and those living abroad. He argued that resilience is no longer only a government goal and now needs coordinated action involving the State, the private sector and the diaspora.
He said the conference theme, centred on diaspora partnerships to rebuild a more resilient Jamaica, speaks directly to both the difficulties and the opportunities facing the country. Working together, he said, Jamaicans could build a nation that is both stronger and better able to withstand a changing climate. His call was framed around “innovation, collaboration, and unwavering commitment.”
Honouring achievement abroad
The AAJ was among the major sponsors of the event and Mr Gibbs said the authority was pleased to support the awards, which recognise Jamaicans making outstanding contributions overseas. Seven members of the diaspora were honoured for achievements that, he said, benefit both their adopted countries and Jamaica’s development and international reputation.
The awards ceremony was part of the opening-day programme of the conference, which ran until 18 June.
What it means for homes and communities
For many overseas Jamaicans, the most direct link to the island is a family house, a plot of land or an investment property. Hurricane Melissa showed how exposed much of that property is to severe weather.
Diaspora owners planning to build, repair or buy can put the resilience message into practice by choosing sites away from flood-prone and unstable ground, insisting on proper roof fixings and approved plans, and budgeting for storm protection from the start. Money sent home for construction goes further when it is spent on homes designed to survive the next storm rather than being rebuilt after it.
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