In response to the catastrophic aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm, the Guyanese government has initiated a comprehensive relief effort to assist Jamaica. The Civil Defence Commission (CDC) announced on Thursday that critical supplies, including generators, tarpaulins, and chainsaws, are being prepared for immediate dispatch. This decision emerged from a high-level coordination meeting led by Prime Minister Mark Phillips, involving the Private Sector Commission (PSC), the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), and the CDC. The initiative underscores a collaborative government-private sector effort to address the urgent needs of affected communities. Colonel Nazrul Hussain, CDC Director-General, indicated that Guyana is also poised to send electricity utility workers through the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) to aid in restoring power, which remains severely disrupted. Over 70% of Jamaica’s transmission lines are non-operational, leaving 490,000 customers without electricity. The GDF is expected to deploy in the coming days to assist with relief operations, including search and rescue missions and the restoration of essential services. The CDC, in partnership with regional organizations like the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to providing technical, logistical, and humanitarian support as recovery efforts evolve. The Private Sector Commission has also appealed to the Guyanese public and private sector for donations to bolster relief initiatives, emphasizing the critical role of financial contributions in aiding affected families.
Guyana readies supplies for hurricane-ravaged Jamaica, deployment personnel on standby
