A convoy delivering aid to Black River, Jamaica, navigates through Holland Bamboo on October 29, where fallen trees and debris partially obstruct the road. This follows the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa, which struck Jamaica as a Category 5 storm on October 28. While Trinidad and Tobago (TT) students in Jamaica are physically unharmed, many are grappling with significant mental trauma from the harrowing experience. Melinda Alfred, the Tobago representative of the TT Student Association at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus, revealed that this was the first hurricane encounter for most students, leaving them deeply shaken. She recounted how high winds tore windows off dormitory blocks at Elsa Leo-Rhynie Hall, exposing rooms to the elements. Students had to secure windows manually during the storm, leading to water damage in several rooms. The adverse weather conditions persisted from October 25, lasting five days. Currently, several dormitories lack WiFi and electricity, with generators providing intermittent power. This has forced students to discard perishable food, including meat, exacerbating their frustration and mental exhaustion. Jaden Paris, the association’s vice president, expressed gratitude for the support from the TT High Commission in Jamaica, which provided food, toiletries, and water. Additionally, the association president used donations from Jamaican and TT sponsors to purchase non-perishable food items before the hurricane, ensuring students’ immediate needs were met. Alfred highlighted ongoing efforts by the central government, Tobago House of Assembly, Tobago Emergency Management Agency, and TT citizens to send donations of non-perishable food and money through the High Commission. These donations were expected to reach students by November 1. Despite their own challenges, the association is collecting non-perishable food to assist severely affected parishes, where TT citizens also reside. Alfred noted that while approximately 350 TT students are in Jamaica, the number is increasing daily, with the association now catering to 400 individuals. She emphasized the need for timely food distribution and is working to locate all Tobagonians, including two athletes in St Elizabeth parish, where the hurricane made landfall. While these athletes are physically well, communication remains limited, and other students’ dorms in the area were completely destroyed.
Trinidad and Tobago students in Jamaica traumatised by Hurricane Melissa
