When Category 5 Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica in late October, it left behind shattered homes, disrupted power and battered coastlines — but it also left a stark reminder for the world: Climate resilience cannot wait. What we are witnessing in Jamaica is not an isolated event. It is a sign of w hat the Caribbean — and much of the developing world — will continue to face as the planet warms and extreme weather grows more frequent and more ferocious. At Digicel, we see this crisis through both a human and technological lens. As Jamaica’s largest telecoms provider, our networks are the arteries that keep information, aid, and hope flowing during disaster. In the wake of the storm, which was the strongest recorded hurricane to hit the island, our teams continue to work around the clock to restore service and reconnect families. While the majority of the island is back online, we see firsthand how connectivity can mean the difference between isolation and rescue, between fear and reassurance. Together with the Digicel Foundation, we immediately launched a major humanitarian effort to support the hardest-hit communities in western Jamaica. Our teams have delivered thousands of care packages, essential supplies, and recovery assistance to those rebuilding their lives, in addition to charging stations, SIM cards and free data to keep people connected. But relief is only one side of the story. The other, more urgent challenge is how to prevent this level of devastation from happening again and again. The Caribbean continues to see economic growth, but it is fragile. Across the Caribbean, hurricanes are becoming more destructive, while recovery budgets remain thin and international aid often arrives too slowly. The economic toll is staggering, and so is the human cost. Each storm sets back years of development, education and opportunity. We cannot simply rebuild what was lost; we must rebuild better — stronger, smarter and more sustainable. We are investing heavily to make our networks more resilient — hardening infrastructure, reinforcing towers, expanding backup power and designing systems to recover faster when the next storm hits. We recently announced a partnership with Caban Energy to install hundreds of solar panels and battery storage at more than half of our cell sites in Jamaica, and we’re expanding it to other islands, including most recently in Barbados. We just announced an agreement with the Jamaica North-South Highway Company to bury more fiber underground as a way to strengthen Jamaica’s telecommunications infrastructure. Sustainability and resilience must go hand in hand: clean, renewable energy reduces emissions and ensures that our communities stay connected even when the grid goes down. No company and no island can build resilience alone, however. The global community must treat the Caribbean’s struggle not as a regional issue but as a shared test of climate justice. That’s why in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa it has been so heartening to see Jamaica’s recovery strengthened by the compassion of our global family. In New York, I want to extend heartfelt thanks to Gov. Hochul and the state’s congressional delegation for their support of Jamaicans abroad and at home. As the governor said, “New York loves Jamaica with all its heart,” and I know the feeling is mutual because we are based here in Kingston. Their call to action and distribution of aid — joined by entertainers, faith leaders, hospitals and members of the Caribbean diaspora — has been deeply felt as I’ve toured the hardest hit areas in the western side of the island in recent weeks. People are rebuilding with compassion and drive. Artists, athletes, and public figures across North America have lent their voices and resources, reminding us that resilience is built on infrastructure, but also on empathy. That connection runs deep here in New York. The state is home to one of the largest Caribbean communities outside the region — nearly 1.1 million Caribbean immigrants, including nearly 300,000 Jamaicans, by far the most in the U.S. Their cultural and economic contributions shape the city every day, and their support in times of crisis reminds us that the Caribbean’s story is global. When a storm strikes Jamaica, it reverberates in Brooklyn, the Bronx and Queens. Hurricane Melissa will not be the last storm of its kind — but it can be the one that changes how we respond. Let it be the moment the world recognizes that resilience is not charity. It is the key to sustainable growth. Cataldo is the CEO of Digicel. ...read more read less