Jamaica has received substantial pledges of disaster relief from Caribbean neighbors following Hurricane Melissa, which affected nearly 900,000 residents and damaged or destroyed approximately 150,000 homes. Barbados will send a field hospital and refuse collection vehicles, while Guyana has deployed military engineers to repair 200 roofs in Westmoreland, alongside providing essential supplies, including food, water, generators, and construction materials. Physical losses from the storm have reached an estimated $8 billion, according to Prime Minister Andrew Holness.
Regional leaders from Guyana, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, and Grenada conducted site visits to assess destruction spanning from Montego Bay to Westmoreland communities. President Irfaan Ali of Guyana emphasized the urgency of completing initial roof repairs before the holiday season, while Prime Ministers Gaston Browne and Dickon Mitchell pledged financial support and military personnel to assist recovery operations. Holness acknowledged that fiscal discipline has helped secure international assistance despite significant revenue losses, expressing confidence that coordinated reconstruction efforts will strengthen vulnerable infrastructure.
Regional leaders from Guyana, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, and Grenada conducted site visits to assess destruction spanning from Montego Bay to Westmoreland communities. President Irfaan Ali of Guyana emphasized the urgency of completing initial roof repairs before the holiday season, while Prime Ministers Gaston Browne and Dickon Mitchell pledged financial support and military personnel to assist recovery operations. Holness acknowledged that fiscal discipline has helped secure international assistance despite significant revenue losses, expressing confidence that coordinated reconstruction efforts will strengthen vulnerable infrastructure.
