Still Home: Black River Standing on Business?

What happens to a town when more than 80% of its businesses stop operating? Months after Hurricane Melissa devastated Black River, questions remain about the future of the parish capital, the businesses and jobs that depend on it. Chair of the St. Elizabeth Homecoming Foundation, Donna Parchment Brown, unpack findings from the Foundation’s post-Melissa business survey and what they reveal about recovery on the ground. The conversation explores the willingness of business owners to restart despite enormous challenges, uncertainty around relocation and redevelopment, and the need for clearer information and policy direction. Rebuilding Black River is about more than business. Dainalyn and Donna discuss immediate human needs, the role of government and the diaspora, and the challenge of protecting Black River’s heritage while building a town better prepared for the future.