Jamaica has expressed deep appreciation for the solidarity and assistance shown by Organization of American States (OAS) member countries in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, which caused widespread devastation across the island last week.
Speaking at a regular sitting of the OAS Permanent Council in Washington, D.C., Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States and Permanent Representative to the OAS, His Excellency Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson, conveyed the Government’s gratitude for the swift and coordinated response of hemispheric partners.
“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 Council.
He also acknowledged contributions from Barbados, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, and several other nations, as well as the immediate outreach of regional organizations including the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).
Updating the Council on the situation in Jamaica, Ambassador Anderson reported 32 confirmed fatalities and extensive damage to critical infrastructure, including five hospitals, schools, community centers, and communication networks. Thousands of homes were destroyed or rendered uninhabitable, while electricity and telecommunications remain largely down in the hardest-hit areas.
He noted that the agriculture sector, a key pillar of Jamaica’s economy and food security, suffered major losses. Nonetheless, he assured member states that the Government of Jamaica, supported by international partners, continues to deliver relief and restoration across affected communities.
Ambassador Anderson emphasized that the hurricane serves as a stark reminder of the existential threat posed by natural disasters to small island developing states and urged collective action to strengthen hemispheric disaster preparedness.
“The devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa underscores once again the existential threat posed by natural disasters to small island developing states, such as Jamaica,” he said. “It is therefore imperative that as a hemisphere, we strengthen our collective action on disaster response and resilience and appropriate reconstruction methodologies.”
The Ambassador extended condolences to families who lost loved ones and acknowledged that The Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Haiti also experienced significant impacts from the hurricane.
OAS Secretary General Albert Ramdin and several member states expressed solidarity and pledged continued support for Jamaica’s recovery efforts.
