The once-enclosed green corridor of Holland Bamboo in St Elizabeth no longer forms the natural archway that made it one of Jamaica’s most photographed roadways. Hurricane Melissa tore through the area, flattening sections of bamboo and stripping the landmark of much of its character. What remains is a landscape in recovery — quieter, barer, but not defeated.
Among those most affected is Kemar Kennedy, a roadside vendor whose livelihood was anchored to the steady flow of traffic through the bamboo-lined stretch. For Kennedy, Holland Bamboo was not just a business location; it became a turning point in his life.
After the death of his mother in 2023, Kennedy relocated to Lacovia following a new relationship. With experience in construction and cooking, he initially sought traditional employment. That phase was short-lived.
He chose independence instead.
Setting up a small wooden stall, Kennedy began selling peanuts and cold jelly coconuts. Over time, the stall developed its own identity, marked unmistakably by bold red, gold, and green paint. The spot grew popular with locals, commuters, and online content creators who regularly stopped to film and refresh.
That momentum ended abruptly on October 28.
Hurricane Melissa swept away the stall entirely and flooded Kennedy’s home when nearby waters overflowed. While his house remained structurally intact, the damage was enough to disrupt daily life. His business, however, was erased.
In the days following the storm, Kennedy erected a temporary setup — functional, but stripped of the personality that once made it recognizable. The enthusiasm to rebuild did not come immediately.
It came from his customers.
Regulars passing through Holland Bamboo began asking where he had gone. Some told him plainly that without the familiar colours, they could no longer spot his location. Their encouragement coincided with early signs of environmental recovery: bent bamboo slowly lifting again, young shoots pushing through the soil.
To Kennedy, that mattered.
The rebuilding effort is modest. He estimates that three sheets of plywood would allow him to reconstruct the stall, along with a small refrigerator to resume selling cold jelly coconuts — the product that built his reputation.
Beyond materials, the experience left him reflective.
Hurricane Melissa, he says, reinforced a simple reality: survival creates opportunity. Loss can be absorbed. Work can restart. Community still functions.
Holland Bamboo may take years to fully return to its former canopy, but the human economy beneath it is already stirring — one rebuilt stall at a time.
