When the levees failed during Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, the basement of the 187-bed Lindy Boggs Medical Center filled with floodwater, systems shut down and a crisis ensued. Nineteen patients died before the place could be evacuated, and the hospital building hasn’t been occupied since. It sits in limbo at the start of Norman C. Francis Parkway in Mid-City, marked with graffiti tags as big as billboards. But the forlorn building’s may be numbered. On Nov. 15, voters approved bond issues

We’ve seen how powerful unity can be. 💪🏽 After Hurricane Melissa, the support from our own people and other has been nothing short of amazing. The road ahead may be long, but with faith and togetherness, we’ll rebuild, restore, and rise stronger than before. #HurricaneMelissa #JamaicaStrong #Community #hurricane #MrVegas #jamaica #dancehall | Mr. Vegas

Given the many hurricanes Jamaica has experienced, and especially in the wake of Hurricane Melissa, climate change is not an academic debate for us. We are living the reality of more frequent, more intense, and overlapping weather events. For small island developing states like ours, resilience remains the defining issue, our capacity to recover from shocks and rebuild stronger. Watch the full interview for my full reflections on climate resilience and global cooperation which I shared during an