Gumption Funds Rebuilds for Jamaican Elderly
Allington O. Creque, known as Gumption and owner of Gumption's Experience BVI, has donated his entire December paycheck and Christmas bonus — matched by his company — to rebuild three hurricane-damaged homes in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. Construction is due to begin Tuesday with a licensed contractor; Creque says he has already paid 50% of costs and the remaining balance will be paid on completion.
Creque — widely known as 'Gumption' and proprietor of Gumption's Experience BVI — has launched a private rebuild effort for three elderly Jamaicans left homeless by Category 5 hurricane Melissa in October. In a Facebook post reported by Virgin Islands News Online, Creque said he donated his entire December paycheck and Christmas bonus, with his tourism business matching the contribution, to fund reconstruction in St.
Creque said a registered and licensed construction company has committed to carrying out the work and requested only food and drinks after each build. Construction is scheduled to begin Tuesday. Creque told followers he has already paid 50 percent of the project cost and will pay the remaining half when the homes are finished.
The beneficiaries are aged 58, 68 and 77, and Creque highlighted the urgency of the need — saying one man is currently sleeping in a chicken coop after losing his home. "Too often, the elderly are left behind," Creque wrote, adding that caring for older residents "feels spiritually right to me." He referenced a previous housing project in which he helped hand keys to Anderson Hamm eight years ago, and said he is on the same mission now, this time taking the lead personally.
Creque — who lost heavily during hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 — said his own experience fuels his determination to act without waiting for outside assistance. When asked for further comment, he said he would speak in more detail once the homes are completed. For residents of the British Virgin Islands, the initiative is a reminder of shared regional vulnerabilities and the role local entrepreneurs and tourism operators can play in disaster recovery across the Caribbean.
Many Virgin Islanders maintain family and commercial links throughout the region; Creque's project underscores how private funding and community organisation can deliver rapid, targeted help for vulnerable groups such as the elderly. Local charities, service providers and tourism businesses often step in after major storms; those in the BVI who wish to offer support to recovery efforts in Jamaica or elsewhere are encouraged to seek established NGOs or local partners to ensure aid reaches those most in need.
Creque's effort offers a concrete example of a small-scale, locally managed rebuild that aims to restore dignity and shelter to survivors of devastating storms.
Primary source: VINO