Tourism sector drives delinquent loans to record high

Past-due loans in Jamaica’s banking system surged to $84.6 billion in January 2026 – the highest level on record – driven by a deterioration in tourism sector borrowing that suggests Hurricane Melissa’s economic damage is still rippling through the island’s loan books five months after the storm struck. The January figure represents a two-thirds jump from December 2025’s $50.7 billion, and nearly double the $45.2 billion recorded in January 2025, according to Bank of Jamaica data.