The satellite image of Hurricane Beryl was monstrous. Had it stayed on the same path, Jamaica would have been wrecked, as we were post-Gilbert in 1988; however, due to a slight southerly shift of the system, most of Jamaica, including our capital cities Kingston and Montego Bay, was spared. But reports coming out of Clarendon, St Elizabeth, Hanover, and Manchester are distressing.

Twenty-year-old Alrick Moncrieffe was playing football with his friends in Trench Town when the ball fell in the nearby gully. Perhaps because he had done so before, he jumped in to retrieve the ball, unaware of the force of the storm water, and was swept away. Kayon Sterling, 26, of Green Island, Hanover, was killed by a falling tree in her yard. The agony of her bereaved husband brought tears to our eyes as we watched him relate the incident on TVJ news.

The house in which Kayon Sterling lived in Green Island, Hanover.

Residents of St Elizabeth shared their trials on X

*@tineykaywhite: South East St Elizabeth got it full blast. My roof is gone, my aunt’s roof gone, my uncle’s roof gone, my other uncle roof gone, and I can only imagine all the others gone in my community of Bull Savannah, St Elizabeth. Positive side we have life.

*@theonlyshanny_: My community is flat. My house is flooded, knee-high water throughout. Every furniture ruined. My mom’s shop roof gone and flooded, multiple neighbours lost their roofs. Entire homes got blown away, canoes got washed away. We got all of it, I am so heartbroken right now.

Meanwhile as we gripe about the slow return of electricity, we are reminded about the challenges faced by Jamaica Public Service(JPS) workers.

*@TheoryofSheena: …My brother too is a trained Electrician with JPS. He told us about his day yesterday, after not hearing from him all day, because he has no power at home while in the trenches doing his best to restore power to everybody else. If nothing else have some empathy.

*@Sally Porteous: I am just concerned about the lack of empathy in some quarters for the ppl who have to leave their homes & families to attend to our needs. Of course we want our services restored quickly but have a heart, they are ppl just like us.

JPS, National Water Commission (NWC), Digicel, and Flow representatives attended a meeting with Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport Minister Daryl Vaz and could all report on the progress they had made. JPS Chairman Damian Obiglio referred to the extreme situation in St Elizabeth, sharing that when the company’s team visited the parish, it was far worse than they had expected.

Government ministries went into preparedness mode at least a week before the hurricane struck. Over 200 shelters were opened the day before the effects of the storm came ashore, as Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) rolled out its islandwide plans. Prime Minister Andrew Holness, Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie, and Health Minister Dr Christopher Tufton were in the forefront sharing their plans. Safety guidelines were widely circulated. Government and Opposition Members of Parliament, caretakers, and councillors posted relief activities in their communities.

Members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Jamaica Defence Force, and Jamaica Fire Brigade were kept active during the storm. Kudos to this network of support.

Helping our own

Our Jamaican family immediately went into relief mode. The Jamaica Observer reported, “In a post now making the rounds on social media, [Romeich] Major is seen with members of his team, including dancehall sensation Shenseea, filling bags with food items. In addition to bags of food, the team could also be seen loading a huge truck with sheets of plyboard and tarpaulin as Major indicated he will also be handing out these items during his visit to the parish on Friday.

Major’s caption on the video he shared read: “Team a pack up some things to go St Elizabeth tomorrow to help how best we can, not waiting on nobody to help me country no matter how small it is we a go help. @shenseea a lead the challenge @romeichentertainment and @majormarketingja a execute it and the rest a team a roll out and help in every way.”

Our favourite signer Antoinette Aiken started a collection drive over the weekend before heading to St Elizabeth. In the days before Beryl approached, the American Friends of Jamaica and Food For the Poor Jamaica (FFTP) made preparations.

They reported, “Critical aid deployed by FFTP on Thursday, included disaster preparedness kits for 500 families, 16 containers of food, six containers of healthcare supplies, five containers of other essential items, and a water filter unit from partner Water Mission with the capacity to filter up to 10,000 gallons of water per day…FFTP has also addressed needs in the islands of the southeast Caribbean that were devastated by Beryl.”

You can support FFTP’s response via foodforthepoor.org/hurricaneberyl. You may e-mail Williams.Jacqueline@foodforthepoor.org to stipulate the preferred parish or community for your donation.

Dr Kadamawe Knife on Sustainability

The audience at The University of the West Indies at Mona Undercroft were riveted as Dr Kadamawe Knife lectured on ‘Economic Sustainability for Social Development’ last Monday, marking the launch of the Digicel Foundation’s 20th Anniversary.

In remarking on the foundation’s impactful journey, Dr Knife noted that social services collaboration is a model that works, citing partnerships with the Social Development Commission, the Rural Agricultural Development Authority; the Bureau of Standards Jamaica, the Scientific Research Council; and the ministries of Education, Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport; Labour and Social Security; and Local Government.

Dr Kadamawe Knife

Dr Knife described Jamaica as a cultural super State with tremendous opportunities. He referred to the orange economy, which is focused on creative and cultural activities. I believe that our tourism industry via the Tourism Enhancement Fund could encourage mini studios in resort areas where tourists can live their dream and go viral, singing along with our reggae greats. We love the Downtown Kingston Artwalk and dream of the day when we can have sidewalk cafés.

Then there is the blue economy for our fisheries and tourism industry, the green economy for health and wellness, and the silver economy in which our ageing population is heralding unique services and products.

Dr Knife spoke of the talent and capacity of persons with disabilities (PWDs), noting that Digicel Foundation had mainstreamed our special needs family and called for more Government investment. It was a pleasure to see Professor Senator Floyd Morris at the event, Jamaica’s first blind senator and professor, a role model for the potential of PWDs.

In reflecting on our hope for the realisation of Vision 2030, Knife recommended greater partnership with the JCF. What an important call, as we have seen the impressive development of the JCF: their articulate media reports and interviews, their continued dedication to our youth, running the largest youth club in Jamaica, and their bravery in the face of dangerous criminals.

Charmaine Daniels, CEO of Digicel Foundation, lauded Dr Knife for partnering with it to help beneficiaries become sustainable in their business start-ups. Ernest Beckford of Dallas Castle and Shirley Duncan of Bonnygate Women’s Cooperative attested to his guidance.

Jean Lowrie-Chin is founder of CCRP, the legacy project of her company, PROComm. Send comments to lowriechin@aim.com.