Organization of American States Supports Jamaica
Jamaica Thanks Hemispheric Partners for Post-Hurricane Melissa Support
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Jamaica is very grateful for the outpouring of solidarity and assistance from Organization of American States (OAS) member countries since Hurricane Melissa struck the island last week.
Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States His Excellency Major General (Ret’d Antony Anderson}, the country’s Permanent Representative to the OAS, conveyed appreciation on Jamaica’s behalf, during a regular sitting today, of the OAS Permanent Council at its headquarters in Washington D.C.
“We are grateful to the OAS and to Secretary General Albert Ramdin for his support; and to our OAS brothers and sisters, particularly El Salvador, which has provided a fully self-sustaining team; the United States Government, which rapidly deployed search and rescue teams, a DART, supplies and much needed significant helicopter support to reach inaccessible communities,” Ambassador Anderson told the members of the Permanent Council of the OAS.
Post Hurricane Update
In updating the Council members of the post-hurricane situation, Ambassador Anderson recognized the support of several member states and organizations.
“I recognize the contributions of Barbados, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela, among other countries. We thank them all.”
He also thanked regional agencies, such as the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the Caribbean Public Health Authority (CARPHA) and the Caribbean Development Bank, for their immediate outreach.
He informed the Council that to date, there have been 32 confirmed fatalities and significant damage to critical infrastructure, including five hospitals, schools, community facilities, and communication networks.
“The electricity and telecommunications systems are largely inoperable in the most impacted parts of the country, and thousands of homes have been destroyed or rendered uninhabitable.”
The Ambassador added that the agriculture sector, a vital pillar of Jamaica’s economy and which is crucial for the country’s food security, has suffered extensive losses. But he also assured member state representatives that the Government of Jamaica, through its mobilized disaster response mechanisms and with the support of the international community, will continue to bring relief and restoration to all affected communities.
Jamaica’s Permanent Representative to the OAS underscored the existential threat posed by natural disasters and called for collective action among hemispheric partners.
“The devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa underscores once again, the existential threat posed by natural disasters to small island developing states, such as Jamaica; and is also a stark reminder that the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are escalating beyond historical norms. It is therefore imperative that as a hemisphere, we strengthen our collective action on disaster response and resilience and appropriate reconstruction methodologies.”
In extending condolences to the families and communities who have lost loved ones or suffered damage in Jamaica, Ambassador Anderson also acknowledged the wider impact the hurricane has had on other countries, such as The Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Haiti.
OAS Secretary General Albert Ramdin, along with several countries expressed their solidarity and pledged support to Jamaica’s recovery efforts.
