Hyatt Hotels suspended bookings at eight Jamaican partner properties through Jan. 31, 2026, after Hurricane Melissa caused significant structural harm across the island nation. The hospitality company prioritized guest safety and employee welfare while conducting thorough damage evaluations at each location.
Properties shutting down operations are Breathless Montego Bay Resort & Spa, Dreams Rose Hall Resort & Spa, Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall, Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall, Secrets St. James Montego Bay, Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay, Jewel Grande Montego Bay Resort & Spa and Zoëtry Montego Bay, Jamaica. Travelers holding prepaid reservations will receive complete reimbursement within 10 business days, and the chain has eliminated cancellation...
The Cayman Islands dispatched vital blood products to Jamaica on Friday, Oct. 31, as part of relief operations following Hurricane Melissa's destruction. Health Services Authority's blood bank sent 51 red cell units and 72 plasma units aboard a Cayman Airways flight to Kingston, with additional shipments planned for Jamaica's National Blood Transfusion Service. Dr. Lundie Richards, the authority's hematologist-oncologist overseeing transfusion operations, accompanied the delivery.
Community members donated blood at unprecedented rates during recent days, with 65 people contributing compared to fewer than 10 on typical days. Thirteen individuals gave blood for the first time. Richards, who was born in Jamaica, praised the response as an...
Trinidad and Tobago officials dismissed speculation on Friday about potential military threats in the Caribbean, calling such reports inaccurate. The Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Ministry stated that Washington denied any planned operations against Venezuela and confirmed that Southern Command remains focused on disaster response in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa. Foreign Minister Sean Sobers has maintained communication with American diplomats in Port of Spain.
The government statement emerged as lawmakers debated extending emergency powers for three months. Defence Minister Wayne Sturge refused to address whether armed forces received heightened readiness orders, citing parliamentary rules that permit withholding sensitive security...
Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston has emerged as the central distribution point for humanitarian assistance following Hurricane Melissa's devastation across Jamaica. Transport Minister Daryl Vaz reported that 20 cargo aircraft were expected on Friday, Oct. 31, supplementing 13 freight deliveries and multiple passenger planes that arrived on Thursday carrying disaster relief materials.
Vaz addressed reporters at Jamaica House on Friday, expressing gratitude for widespread global backing from governments and charitable groups. American military helicopters have joined the airlift operation, equipped to evacuate injured residents and haul substantial quantities of aid into storm-damaged zones. Several major Jamaican...
Three American military helicopters touched down in Jamaica on Friday, Oct. 31, delivering emergency provisions for areas ravaged by Hurricane Melissa. Transport Minister Daryl Vaz received the aircraft at the Caribbean Military Academy's School of Aviation facility in Kingston, with five additional helicopters expected by the weekend. The U.S. Embassy coordinated the deployment, which will help Jamaica Defence Force personnel move food and water to isolated western communities where flooding severed road access.
Britain announced an extra £5 million in disaster assistance for Jamaica and neighboring Caribbean territories, adding to £2.5 million committed earlier. The expanded aid package provides more than 3,000 temporary housing kits...
Jamaica's government confirmed on Saturday that 28 people died after Hurricane Melissa battered the island earlier in the week. Officials continue verifying reports of more casualties as emergency teams coordinate response operations across western parishes hit hardest by the Category 5 system that struck on Tuesday.
A mobile medical facility will reach St. Elizabeth parish within 24 hours to support overwhelmed health services, according to Health Minister Christopher Tufton. The temporary hospital arrives through a partnership with Samaritan's Purse and will feature surgical capacity, diagnostic tools and medical personnel. Black River Hospital sustained major damage during the storm, prompting the emergency measures. Additional...
Guyanese police detained Azruddin Mohamed on Friday after Washington requested his extradition on federal charges. Authorities also arrested his father, Nazar Mohamed, following indictments from a Florida grand jury accusing both men of laundering money, bribing officials, evading taxes and committing fraud. The younger Mohamed was poised to assume his role as opposition leader when lawmakers return on Monday.
A Georgetown magistrate granted each defendant bail set at $750,000 with requirements to surrender travel documents and make weekly police visits starting November 7. Their legal team features Siand Dhurjon, Damien DaSilva, Nigel Hughes, Darren Wade and Senior Counsel Roysdale Forde. Prosecutors allege the pair smuggled more than...
CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett congratulated Antigua and Barbuda as the nation marked 44 years of independence on Saturday, November 1, praising its diplomatic achievements and expanding global presence. In her message to Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Barnett commended the twin-island state for amplifying Caribbean perspectives in international forums and strengthening regional cooperation.
Barnett pointed to Antigua and Barbuda's June 2025 hosting of the 55th Organization of American States General Assembly as evidence of its rising prominence. The country will welcome the 28th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2026, further demonstrating its capacity for major diplomatic events. The independence celebration...
The Caribbean Development Bank financed a $130 million loan that enabled Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to complete its upgraded Kingstown Port, which opened on Friday, October 25. Additional support came through a $3 million technical preparation grant and $36 million implementation grant from the United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Fund, both administered by the bank. The facility features climate-resistant engineering designed to survive severe weather while incorporating environmental and social protections.
Bank Vice President Isaac Solomon described the maritime terminal as proof of what collaborative effort can achieve for economic transformation. The infrastructure upgrade strengthens regional commerce and positions the...
