Treasure Beach rises again

WESTERN BUREAU:

Treasure Beach in St Elizabeth has mounted a remarkable recovery in the wake of Hurricane Melissa, with residents and tourism stakeholders crediting not only reconstruction efforts but also the unyielding spirit of a coastal community determined to rise above adversity.

While the storm left visible scars along sections of the coastline and main road, community leaders say the rebuilding effort has restored most of the district and strengthened hopes for a full tourism rebound.

“Along the coastline and the main road, we saw structural damage,” said Jason Henzell, chairman of Jakes Hotel. “The dunes that normally protect the territory were pushed around in ways we had never seen before.”

But despite the destruction, Henzell, in an interview with The Gleaner, said residents remained deeply conscious that other communities suffered even worse.

“The truth of the matter is that everybody in Treasure Beach still has to be grateful. When we saw what happened further down the coast in Black River, we realised that what we experienced here was bad – but it was not a total disaster,” Henzell noted.

Hurricane Melissa lashed sections of Jamaica’s south coast with heavy rain, powerful winds, and storm surge, leaving a trail of damage to homes, businesses, and coastal infrastructure.

The storm also transformed the historic town of Black River into what residents have described as a dumping ground as debris washed in by floodwaters littered sections of the area. The scale of the damage has since prompted the Government to begin examining plans aimed at reimagining and redeveloping the town.

Meanwhile, Treasure Beach and several other communities across the parish were also among the hardest hit as rising seas and shifting sands battered already fragile shoreline defences.

In Treasure Beach, however, residents quickly mobilised to rebuild.

“A lot of the beaches have come back, and a lot of the sand has returned to the shoreline,” Henzell said. “That is very significant for the fishermen, for visitors, and for the locals.”

For a community whose economy depends heavily on small guesthouses, fishing, and ecotourism, the recovery of the shoreline has been a crucial sign that the area’s natural beauty – and its economic lifeline – is returning.

“Many people have rebuilt their homes and their seawalls,” Henzell noted. “I would say about 98 per cent of Treasure Beach has been restored.”

Utility restoration was another major priority in the aftermath of the hurricane. The national electricity provider, Jamaica Public Service Company, moved quickly to stabilise the power supply in the community.

“JPS came in and installed a generator and stepped up the transfer capacity here,” Henzell explained, noting that “they really made a special effort for us”.

The mobile generator, which boosted power transmission capacity in the area, provided critical support for residents and businesses trying to resume normal operations after the storm.

“For that, we are very grateful,” he added.

Despite the progress, Henzell acknowledged that the recovery is not yet complete. Some sections of the road network still require repairs, and coastal infrastructure continues to be monitored.

“We are not perfect yet,” he said. “There are still some repairs to be made, particularly along sections of the road.”

Tourism officials are also being asked to support the community’s recovery through renewed promotion of the destination.

Henzell said stakeholders are expecting engagement from national tourism authorities, including the Jamaica Tourist Board, to strengthen marketing efforts for the area.

“We’re hoping to see support from the Ministry of Tourism and the Jamaica Tourist Board in terms of marketing,” he said.

For residents, the recovery has not simply been about replacing what was lost but about rebuilding stronger.

“We have taken a lot of the reconstruction as an opportunity to upgrade and make things stronger,” he said.

Today, signs of renewal are visible across the community.

“You can see the difference. The area is green again. Life is coming back,” Henzell added.

After years of challenges that included storms and economic pressures, residents say they are hoping for calmer waters ahead.

“We deserve a break,” he said. “The past few years have not been easy, but we did what we had to do.”

With reconstruction largely complete and the coastline slowly restoring itself, Treasure Beach is now looking ahead with renewed optimism.

Resident Marcia Brown praised the determination of her neighbours and the wider community in bringing Treasure Beach back to life after Hurricane Melissa.

“The recovery here has been nothing short of amazing. Everybody came together – fishermen, shopkeepers, guesthouse owners – and we rebuild piece by piece. It shows that Treasure Beach people don’t give up easily,” said Bown. “We love our community, and we make sure it can stand strong again.”

albert.ferguson@gleanerjm.com