Top things to know
- Jamaicans abroad sent US$1.85 billion home in the seven months following Hurricane Melissa.
- This represents a 7.7 per cent increase, or US$132.5 million more than the same period a year prior.
- Kingston and St Andrew captured the majority of the remittance growth rather than the parishes most severely impacted by the storm.
After Hurricane Melissa, remittance inflows surged, with Kingston and St Andrew receiving the lion's share of the $1.85 billion sent home by Jamaicans abroad between November 2025 and May 2026. Parish-level figures from the Bank of Jamaica reveal that financial transfers rose by 7.7 per cent over this seven-month timeframe, translating to an increase of US$132.5 million compared to the previous year.
Rather than concentrating in the areas hardest hit by the storm, the growth in funds processed via remittance companies primarily flowed to Kingston and St Andrew. This sustained financial support from the diaspora highlights the continued economic reliance on overseas contributions following the natural disaster.