博客

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaican agricultural and fisheries sectors are reeling from the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Melissa, which has inflicted an estimated $29.5 billion in damages. Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Floyd Green, revealed these staggering figures during a parliamentary address on Tuesday. The hurricane has ravaged approximately 41,390 hectares of farmland, directly affecting over 70,000 farmers and resulting in the loss of 1,251,410 animals, including poultry, cattle, and small ruminants.

Small business owners in Portland, Jamaica, are grappling with severe challenges following the devastation wrought by Hurricane Melissa. The Category 5 storm, which struck on October 28 with winds reaching 185 mph, left a trail of destruction, claiming over 40 lives and plunging nearly 80% of Jamaica Public Service (JPS) customers into darkness. While Portland was spared the worst of the storm, the economic fallout has been significant, particularly for local entrepreneurs.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a significant gesture of solidarity, the Allianz Memorial Van Damme, the prestigious Brussels athletics event and host of the 2025 Wanda Diamond League final, has pledged a generous donation of US$100,000 to the Usain Bolt Foundation. This contribution aims to support recovery efforts in Jamaica, which has been grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. The devastating storm, which made landfall last month, wreaked havoc across western Jamaica, causing widespread destruction to over 100,000 homes. Among the hardest-hit areas were Trelawny, the hometown of sprint icon Usain Bolt, and William Knibb High School, where Bolt’s legendary career first took flight. In response to the crisis, the Usain Bolt Foundation has been at the forefront of relief and reconstruction initiatives. The foundation, which is committed to empowering young Jamaicans through education, cultural enrichment, and sports, has consistently invested in the nation’s future. Earlier this year, it provided financial and material support to six rural high schools to help them prepare for the 2025 ISSA Boys and Girls Athletics Championships. This latest donation underscores the global athletics community’s commitment to aiding Jamaica in its time of need.

In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s devastation, Couples Resorts has taken significant steps to support both its team members and the broader communities where it operates. Despite the resorts escaping major damage and preparing to reopen soon, many employees and their families have faced severe personal losses. To address this, the Issa Trust Foundation, the nonprofit arm of Couples Resorts, established the Couples Resorts Community Disaster Relief Fund. The fund has already raised over $350,000, including a $100,000 cash donation from Couples Resorts itself. Contributions from friends, guests, and partners have been instrumental in this effort. Abe Issa, deputy chairman of Couples Resorts, emphasized the company’s deep connection to the Jamaican community, stating, ‘When our community is hurting, we feel it deeply.’ The relief fund aims to help affected individuals rebuild homes, replace essential items, and restore stability. Immediate efforts include distributing care packages with food and water and providing temporary housing for over 100 employees who lost their homes. Diane Pollard, president and CEO of the Issa Trust Foundation, highlighted the overwhelming compassion shown by donors and stressed the ongoing need for support. Paul Issa, chairman of the foundation, expressed gratitude to contributors and construction crews offering their services, urging continued momentum in the recovery efforts.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS) in Jamaica has issued a public warning regarding the unauthorized and fraudulent use of video images featuring Minister Pearnel Charles Jr. The images have been exploited by a TikTok account under the handle @ramondlewis0, which falsely advertises overseas employment opportunities. The ministry has confirmed that this account is using repurposed visuals of the minister to deceive and mislead individuals seeking employment abroad.

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic—The Dominican Republic faced a widespread power outage on Tuesday, leaving the capital city of Santo Domingo and other regions in the dark. The blackout, attributed to a ‘transmission system failure,’ was announced by the state-owned energy company ETED, though the exact scale of the disruption remains unclear. The outage impacted critical public services, including the metro and cable car systems in Santo Domingo, prompting the evacuation of stranded passengers. While some areas retained electricity and internet connectivity, social media reports confirmed outages across multiple regions. This incident follows weeks of recurring power failures, with outages lasting up to 10 hours in recent weeks. Authorities have cited insufficient maintenance and illegal connections as primary causes of the ongoing energy crisis, exacerbating the strain on the nation’s infrastructure and its 11 million residents.

Jamaica’s 100-meter world champion, Oblique Seville, has made a significant contribution of $500,000 to the United Way Jamaica Restoration and Rehabilitation Fund. This initiative aims to provide critical support to farming communities devastated by Hurricane Melissa. Seville’s donation aligns with a broader effort by private sector donors, including a $1.5 million pledge from the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), launched at their office on Tuesday. Additionally, United Way International, the parent organization, has contributed $21 million to bolster the fund. The Restoration Fund is designed to deliver immediate relief and long-term recovery assistance to disaster-stricken areas, with a particular focus on the agricultural sector. Seville, 24, whose parents are farmers, expressed his deep connection to agriculture, stating, ‘Agriculture is what I am brought up on. For me with my parents and everything, it is actually what built me, and I see how hard it is to do agriculture. Sometimes farmers do give back, so for me to give back is something special.’ Dressed elegantly in a black suit and white shirt, Seville emphasized the importance of nutrition for athletes and his gratitude for the opportunity to support his country.