Jamaica’s Hurricane Response Lauded by CDEMA Team Lead

Team lead of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Operations Support Team, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), Major General Rodney Smart, has praised Jamaica’s resilience and coordinated emergency response as the nation continues recovery operations in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

“What I have been seeing, along with the team, is a resilient Jamaica. I saw this in Gilbert, I’m seeing it again. I am sure that within a matter of time, and I don’t think it is going to be a long time, Jamaica will be back where it wants to be and, in fact, even better, given the kinds of commitment I’m seeing from Jamaicans but also teams like CDEMA, the United Nations (UN) organisations and everyone else who is contributing to making Jamaica build better than it was before,” he said.

Major General Smart was addressing Monday’s (December 1) briefing at the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) located at the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), where he shared that the CDEMA team will be departing the island in the coming days.

He commended the joint efforts of the individuals who worked at the NEOC.

The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) was outstanding, the members of ODPEM who worked alongside them were outstanding… they put their heads together and decided to identify the problems… finding solutions… and placing the resources at the right place and at the right time,” said Major General Smart.

He described these responders as “the unsung heroes”, acknowledging not just those at the NEOC but also parish-level teams, soldiers, sailors, airmen, volunteers and the media who helped to communicate the national story.

Major General Smart also lauded the Government for its leadership in coordinating and driving national response and recovery.

“My commendation must also extend to the Government of Jamaica who, at the end of the day, is responsible for the response and the recovery, and the fact that they have thrown themselves totally into it is an indication of why I say Jamaica will bounce back faster than one expects. With the Government’s drive and with the support of the people and the various institutions, Jamaica will build itself better than it was before, I have no doubt,” he stressed.

CDEMA is a regional intergovernmental agency for disaster management in CARICOM.

Representatives were deployed to Jamaica prior to Hurricane Melissa to assist the NEOC. Following the passage of the hurricane additional personnel were brought in to provide operational and emergency communications support.