Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States Major General (Ret’d) Antony Anderson says the mission is pinning its hopes on the deployment of Starlink satellite-based Internet systems here to help relieve the fears of Diaspora Jamaicans who have flooded its phone lines with pleas for information about their loved ones here in the wake of Hurricane Melissa.

“Later today (Friday) the team from the headquarters of Starlink is going into Jamaica; there are a number of Wi-Fi sites across the country that will now be linked to Starlink. Once we get the sites back up, then people will be able to reach out to their loved ones. I would ask that people exercise some patience. The truth of the matter is that the first responders who are out there can’t get to everyone yet, but because you haven’t heard doesn’t mean the person is necessarily harmed,” the ambassador said.

Anderson, who was speaking during a news briefing at the Jamaican Embassy in Washington, DC, said some Jamaicans on the island, using ingenious means, have managed to transmit to the rest of the globe that their family members are alright. He said as Jamaicans continue to assist each other this will become more common.

“I understand fully the sort of concerns people have and each day it gets more concerning, hence I said we don’t have the luxury of time. Some people have managed to find out [about their loved ones]… I would ask that people share, that’s what they have been doing down there. It’s a high priority for us,” he said.

In the meantime, he said the efforts via Starlink remain the silver lining in re-establishing family connections .

“I know people are concerned and many, many calls have come into the mission on that, but our response is limited right now. As we get the Starlinks out, as our police get more access, we will be pushing the information back so that people are aware that their loved ones are okay. I know there is that nervousness that, over days, becomes more burdensome on you, but it does not mean that there is something wrong other than that they are cut off from communicating. Seventy per cent of the country is out of electricity, and the build back process of that will take some time,” he assured.

“In the areas where the grid is actually intact the Jamaica Public Service is busy restoring power. Obviously where the eye [of the hurricane] passed, the infrastructure is broken, so part of that is going to be a rebuild, to the extent that our partners across the world are reaching out to see how they can support our electricity company,” he said further.

On Thursday Energy, Transport and Telecommunications Minister Daryl Vaz said the Universal Service Fund (USF) would be rolling out Starlink systems to provide immediate broadband coverage in key communities in western Jamaica while terrestrial infrastructure is being restored.

He said the USF’s seven public Wi-Fi hubs and 112 community Wi-Fi hot spots in the western region are down due to hurricane damage, power loss, and internet service provider (ISP) disruption.

On Friday, Anderson said in the meantime, the Jamaican Embassy will concentrate on “getting a platform to take requests” to assist with establishing connections.

“We recognise that it’s going to be limited how quickly we can respond to that. So we will manage expectations in that regard,” Anderson said, adding that those efforts, combined with those of the military and first responders, will yield the answers being sought.

“As first responders get out, as our military reaches into different areas, they cleared roads [Thursday]; another 30 kilometres was cleared, they are going to ensure that there is a road coming for Sav-la-Mar to Black River, those roads to the south and west of the country are being opened up. Once we get that, then we have to go into the hinterland to find out where people are,” Anderson assured.

He thanked the many individuals and entities that have offered aid to Jamaica since the passage of the Category 5 system on Tuesday, October 28.

“Jamaica thanks you for your response… We are a strong people, we are resilient and as we transition, as the rescue continues, as the relief efforts get into high gear, as the supplies flow in and we get them to the people, we will see that resilience coming into place. It is really the time for our diaspora and our allies, our friends to band together,” Anderson stated.

He further urged individuals to utilise established official methods for donating funds in light of efforts by scammers to divert relief monies to their own pockets.

“I must say that unfortunately in these things we end up with people putting up all kinds of sites hoping to trick people into donating to something that is really not going to go to Jamaica. Unfortunately this always happens, so I would advise people to be careful how they donate. There are so many certified, good mechanisms to donate. If it just popped up yesterday it probably isn’t real,” he said.

Residents try to salvage what they can from the rubble left by Hurricane Melissa’s rampage in Black River, St Elizabeth, on Thursday.