KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Defence Force’s (JDF) Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) which was deployed to Dominica in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, returns to the island on Monday, December 4, having assisted with ‘rebuilding’ operations in that country for the past 10 weeks, the JDF said in a statement Saturday.

Before the team returns, however, it has established a Dominica Disaster Relief Fund designed to generate donations from Jamaican individuals and companies.

According to Lt Col Dionne Smalling of the JDF, the drive is intended to “encourage and facilitate members of the public who wish to make donations to assist the people of Dominica. As such, all donations will be handed over to the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica to assist with relief efforts following the passing of Hurricane Maria on September 19”.

The JDF deployed its DART team to Dominica on Tuesday, September 26 this year, carrying out various rebuilding, relief and recovery operations. This included assisting local security forces with maintaining law and order, logistics support to aid the distribution of food, water, medical and relief supplies, light construction and repair as well as providing essential medical care to persons in need.

In addition to the infrastructural and other relief work done in Dominica, the contingent launched a Caribbean wide fundraising drive with a series of runs dubbed ‘Run for Nature’ on Saturday November 18, 2017. The runs were held simultaneously in several CARICOM member states, and were aimed at raising funds to help restore Dominica to its pre-hurricane glory.

In order to continue the positive gains made by the recovery efforts, the DART team invites members of the public and corporate Jamaica to support the drive by making donations to the fund at account number 5502935258 at any Sagicor Bank across the island.