Hurricane Melissa struck Westmoreland with sustained winds of 185 mph as a Category 5 storm, leveling homes, inundating farms, and cutting off entire communities. Debbie-Anne Gordon, a board member of Food For The Poor Jamaica, traveled to the parish without waiting for official instructions after losing contact with her family, including her mother.
Upon arrival, she encountered widespread distress among residents lacking food, water, and shelter. She returned to Kingston to alert the organization’s leadership, who immediately mobilized a relief response. Gordon described the devastation as traumatic and nearly unimaginable, with many still stranded in schools and walking long distances for necessities.
Despite the scale of...
Hurricane Melissa directly impacted around 90,000 families in western Jamaica and stripped roofs from more than 120,000 buildings, according to preliminary findings from the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management. Commander Alvin Gayle, the agency’s newly appointed Director General, reported that 27 communities—mainly in St. Elizabeth, St. James, and Trelawny—remain inaccessible due to landslides and flooding.
The storm, which struck New Hope in Westmoreland as a Category 5 hurricane, caused widespread destruction across six parishes. Recovery teams from multiple agencies are restoring essential services, while a finalized damage assessment is expected soon. In the education sector, over 600 institutions suffered...
Hurricane Melissa inflicted severe damage on Jamaica’s agriculture sector, with estimated losses surpassing J$20 billion, according to Agriculture Minister Floyd Green. He characterized the storm as a devastating setback for farmers, fishers, and rural residents, many of whom confront serious threats to their livelihoods.
Initial assessments reveal nearly total destruction of banana and plantain crops, alongside heavy losses in vegetables, yams, and fruit trees. About 40% of the layer flock perished, and fisheries sustained major harm, including the loss of a quarter of the fishing fleet and damage reported by 41% of aquaculture operations. With some regions still unreachable, comprehensive evaluations are expected by next Monday.
The...
Guyana has been elected to the Executive Board of UNESCO for the first time in 50 years, marking a historic milestone in the country's global involvement in education, science, culture, and communication. The election occurred on Friday during the 43rd General Conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, providing Guyana with a significant role in shaping international standards and fostering collaboration among UNESCO’s 194 member states.
The Ministry of Education hailed the achievement as a proud moment for the nation, emphasizing its contribution to UNESCO’s mission of promoting peace and sustainable development. Minister of Education Sonia Parag reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to educational equality, while President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali...
The Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) has launched an investigation following an incident where an Air Services Limited Cessna 208 mistakenly landed at the site of the new Lumidpau Secondary School in Region Nine on Thursday. The aircraft, en route to Karaudarnau in the South Rupununi, landed near the Lumidpau airstrip, damaging part of the school’s fence during takeoff. No injuries were reported.
A resident suggested the pilot, possibly unfamiliar with the area, might have mistakenly landed at the school compound. The GCAA has grounded the aircraft and suspended the pilot while investigating the cause of the mislanding, focusing on procedural or navigational errors.
Jamaican police have charged 46-year-old Lawrence Sergeant with the murder of his 13-year-old daughter, Shantina Sergeant, whose body was found in a burnt-out refrigerator days after her disappearance. Sergeant, who had been in custody for several weeks, was formally charged on Wednesday, though his court date is yet to be set.
Shantina, a student at Christiana High School, was reported missing on October 6, 2025. Four days later, police discovered her remains behind the family home in Old Harbour, St. Catherine. A post-mortem confirmed she died from blunt force trauma, leading to Sergeant’s arrest and subsequent murder charge.
The Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) has dropped all tax-related charges against Nazar and Azruddin Mohamed of Mohamed’s Enterprise, ending local proceedings. The case stemmed from an audit of the company’s gold export records, with allegations of underreported income and false tax returns for the 2020–2024 period, totaling an estimated $191.17 billion in taxes owed.
While the local case is closed, both men face ongoing U.S. legal action. In June 2024, the U.S. Treasury sanctioned them for corruption and tax evasion, and in October 2025, they were indicted on multiple charges, including gold smuggling, related to the alleged illegal export of over 10,000 kg of gold.
The United Nations has launched a US$74 million appeal to support Cuba's recovery from Hurricane Melissa, which devastated eastern provinces. Around 2.2 million people in Granma, Santiago de Cuba, Holguín, and Guantánamo require urgent assistance. The UN's Plan of Action will focus on health, water, shelter, education, and early recovery, prioritizing vulnerable populations. While emergency funds of US$11 million have been released, a significant gap of US$64 million remains.
Meanwhile, the situation in Haiti is worsening, with 43 deaths and over 16,000 displaced. The World Food Programme is seeking US$18 million to address rising food insecurity. In Jamaica, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged continued support for disaster...
Jamaica has received a major shipment of over 150 tonnes of hurricane relief supplies, significantly aiding recovery after Hurricane Melissa. The shipment, delivered by the Dutch Navy support ship HNLMS Pelikaan, contains medical supplies, emergency shelter materials, power equipment, vehicles, and water and sanitation systems.
The relief effort was made possible by contributions from the EU, UN, the Netherlands, Canada, and CDEMA. Minister Kamina Johnson Smith expressed gratitude to international partners, acknowledging their support. While challenges remain, particularly with road access, the supplies will be distributed in coordination with local authorities to aid affected communities.
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