FCJ Supports Recovery of Hurricane-Impacted Businesses in Westmoreland
Approximately $13 million has been distributed to over 70 micro and small businesses in Whitehouse, Westmoreland, as part of the Factories Corporation of Jamaica Limited (FCJ)’s ongoing relief effort following the widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.
The intervention forms part of the Government of Jamaica’s national recovery efforts and was executed in accordance with Cabinet Decision No. 36/25, which specifically assigned FCJ responsibility for supporting the re-establishment of small businesses within the community.
FCJ’s chairman, Lyttleton ‘Tanny’ Shirley, speaking at the handover ceremony on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, emphasised that “small businesses are big businesses” and are critical to the country’s economic recovery, stating that it was crucial to act in a timely manner.
“Based on the assessments of our management, engineering, marketing, and client service teams, financial support ranging from twenty thousand to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars was allocated to each entrepreneur, ensuring that assistance was targeted and proportional to the damage sustained,” he said.
To determine the scale of impact, FCJ’s multidisciplinary team, in collaboration with the Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Eastern, Dr. Dayton Campbell; the Councillor for the Whitehouse Division, Michael Jackson; and community leaders, conducted physical site inspections and stakeholder interviews over two days in late November 2025.
Dr. Campbell lauded FCJ for being the first government agency to assist the constituency with both care packages and cash grants for small businesses, and thanked Prime Minister, Dr. The Most Hon. Andrew Holness, for mandating the intervention.
“This initiative is not by chance or ‘buck-ups.’ It is a deliberate action taken to provide assistance to the people of Whitehouse, and for that, I want to say thanks,” he shared with the audience of recipients.
He then urged beneficiaries to use the funds wisely and make every effort to resume operations promptly.
“We took the decision to trust you, and [to trust] that you will invest in yourselves so that you can rebound. I do not want to be disappointed in supporting that decision. I want to encourage you not to delay, but to try to get things going for the Christmas period.”
Findings from the assessment indicate that 75 businesses were affected by the hurricane: 42 suffered total loss, 18 sustained severe damage, nine recorded moderate damage, and five experienced minor or low-impact damage.
This undertaking builds on FCJ’s earlier humanitarian response in Whitehouse, which included the distribution of over 500 care packages and assistance with debris clearance to restore access within the communities of Up Street and Auldayr.
FCJ has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting recovery through transparent, evidence-based relief aligned with national reconstruction priorities following Hurricane Melissa.
