There is a quiet, stubborn force that runs through the blood of Jamaicans.

It shows up in how we speak, move, and survive. It lives right there in the word JamaiCAN — a declaration, not a suggestion: we are a people wired for CAN.

1988, four Jamaican men — Dudley Stokes, Devon Harris, Michael White, and Freddy Powell — took on the Winter Olympics in Calgary, Canada. Temperatures hovered around 14 °F (–10 °C), far colder than their tropical bodies were built for. Their bobsleigh crashed. They did not medal. But they stood. They walked off that ice and in true JamaiCAN spirit, they finished.

That story became the 1993 film “Cool Runnings”. Its theme song, Jimmy Cliff’s cover of “I Can See Clearly Now”, became the anthem of saying “yes” when the world expected “no”.

Decades later, on November 25, 2025, one day after Jimmy Cliff’s passing (may his soul Rest In Peace), the Jamaican 4-man bobsleigh team — Shane Pitter, Junior Harris, Andrae Dacres, and Tyquendo Tracey — made history!! They captured gold at an international bobsleigh competition in Whistler, Canada — Jamaica’s first.

I wonder if, as they hurtled down that icy track, they thought of home — battered and bruised from Hurricane Melissa?

I wonder if they vowed — not by kissing an egg like depicted in “Cool Runnings” — but on the lives of every Jamaican that this would be the year, this must be the time?

Whatever drove them, they delivered a victory when our country most needed a boost.

More than skill, dedication and precision was that indomitable yes we CAN spirit that took men from a tropical warm island onto an ice-cold track. And it is that same yes we CAN spirit that will rebuild Jamaica—one house, one school, one road at a time and keep hope alive.

Jimmy Cliff’s song, now part of our history, remains with us to remind us:

I can see clearly now the rain is gone. It’s gonna be a bright sunshiny day.

This is who we are. This is what we do. We CAN rise again! We are JamaiCAN!

SUPPORT JAMAICA REBUILD

If you’re able to support Jamaica’s recovery, the government has set up a site to coordinate all support coming to our beautiful island. We are grateful for all the countries, organizations, individuals, charities etc. that have come to our aid. We’re eternally grateful. 

• Click to visit the site Government of Jamaica Hurricane Melissa Relief

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Images: Facebook,Jamaica Observer 

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In creative solidarity, Dee