– notes the response was ‘like a family’

PRIME Minister of Jamaica Dr. Andrew Holness has hailed the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) response to Hurricane Melissa as a powerful demonstration of regional unity in action.
Dr Holness was at the time speaking at the opening of the 50th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community in St Kitts and Nevis, during which he said that the outpouring of support proved that CARICOM is most effective when it moves beyond words to practical solidarity.
Reflecting on the aftermath of the devastating hurricane, the Jamaican Prime Minister described the regional response as “like a family, each doing what it could” at a moment of his country’s greatest need.
He went on to note that the recovery of the island, which is now underway, was not only a testament to national resilience but to the strength of the Caribbean family.
Against this backdrop, he expressed gratitude to fellow CARICOM states for what he described as critical and timely assistance, including supplies, substantial cash donations, field hospitals, desalination plants, and technical personnel.
Teams from across the region, he noted, remain on the ground in Jamaica assisting with the restoration of electricity grids and damaged roofs.
Guyana was among several countries in the regional bloc that responded immediately, sending supplies in several tranches and even deploying ranks from the Guyana Defence Force’s 4 Engineer Battalion.
Later in November last year, CARICOM Heads of Government from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Grenada, and Guyana; CARICOM Secretary-General Dr Carla Barnett and leaders from other regional institutions visited Jamaica.
“The visit of colleagues as a demonstration of your solidarity was also greatly appreciated,” Dr Holness told the opening ceremony.
“Your presence made CARICOM real and present at the level of communities and families,” he added.
The Jamaican prime minister said affected residents, particularly those in Westmoreland who met visiting leaders, were deeply encouraged by the show of regional support, reinforcing the idea that integration is not merely institutional, but human.
Meanwhile, as Dr Holness acknowledged the display of unity, he noted that the increasing frequency and severity of climate-related disasters across the Caribbean demand a more structured and forward-looking approach to resilience.
To this end, he noted that while solidarity and goodwill are essential, the region must shift from reacting to disasters to preparing for them with emphasis on strengthening regional response mechanisms and safeguarding fiscal stability.
He went on to note that the Caribbean’s shared position of limiting global warming remains critical to the survival of small island developing states, noting that climate shocks must not continue to derail national development trajectories.