Jamaica’s rebuilding outlook extends beyond Hurricane Melissa’s first year
The World Bank’s spring projection expected reconstruction to help growth resume in 2027.
More than a year after Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica, the economic recovery remains a longer project than the first emergency response. In its spring 2026 outlook, the World Bank projected that the storm-related contraction would continue through 2026, with growth resuming in 2027 and 2028.
The outlook expected reconstruction to support that recovery as activity returned in affected sectors. It also anticipated pressure on prices from constrained supplies, rebuilding demand and high global energy costs.
The forecast describes an expected path, with actual results depending on how quickly damaged businesses and infrastructure return to use. The bank expected poverty to decline gradually after rising in 2026.
