WHITE HOUSE, Westmoreland — The Guyana Defence Force will embark on a major roof repair project as a number of Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries and international agencies rally around Jamaica in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.

The revelation was made by Guyanese President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, who was part of a delegation of Caricom heads of government and international organisations that arrived at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay on Monday and travelled to Whitehouse in Westmoreland Eastern.

Government ministers and agencies also accompanied the delegation on the tour. They all had an opportunity to observe first-hand the devastation caused by the Category 5 storm and efforts being made to return to life-before-Melissa.

Sections of the country are now clawing their way out from under the destruction left by the storm.

“Having seen this here today, I have agreed with Prime Minister [of Jamaica Dr Andrew] Holness and with the rest of the region that we are going to, in a very quick manner, mobilise resources — that is the manpower and also materials, whatever is needed — to start with 200 roofs completely redone and I think you are looking at this community [Whitehouse] to start with,” said Ali.

He said that under the initial phase of support to Jamaica, Guyana was able to provide generators, chainsaws, and tarpaulins. Additionally, a major shipment of items, including black tanks and building materials, is scheduled to arrive in Jamaica this weekend.

Ali also pointed to the importance of the Caricom team being in Jamaica to let the region understand that the Caribbean is one region and people.

Similarly, Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley spoke of a contingency from the Barbados Defence Force which will provide emergency medical support to Savanna-la-Mar Public General Hospital in the parish where they will set up a field hospital.

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne, in pointing to assistance from Guyana, Barbados, and his country, said linemen are also in Jamaica to assist the light and power company in restoring electricity.

Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell and other Caribbean countries also made it clear that they stand in solidarity with Jamaica during this difficult period.

Ali noted that they will be working closely with Holness and his team, including Member of Parliament for Westmoreland Eastern Dr Dayton Campbell.

Holness, in response, gave details on how the plan will be executed.

“The Guyanese Defence Force will send their engineering core with materials to restore 200 roofs and I am committing that the effort will be here [Whitehouse] under the direction of the JDF (Jamaica Defence Force), the Member of Parliament [Dr Dayton Campbell] and the councillors,” said the prime minister.

Ali, who told the media he had a hard time finding words to describe the impact of the storm’s wrath, commended the people of Jamaica for the resilience observed.

Holness said it is estimated that approximately 150,000 homes have been destroyed, 900,000 Jamaicans have been impacted in some form or another by the storm, and gave a conservative estimate of US$8 million in physical damage.

“That has nothing to do with what we will have to spend on relief and recovery and what we have lost in revenue — tourism, agricultural output,” stated Holness, who noted that while this is significant, it is not beyond Jamaica to recover.

The prime minister said the devastation in Jamaica has come at a time when the country has struggled to reduce its debt from 30 or 40 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) and is heading towards 60 per cent of GDP.

“We are now faced with a situation where half of the country, literally, has been devastated in terms of its infrastructure,” stated Holness. “We will have to spend on relief and recovery, but we have also lost revenue. So, our financial situation is of great concern. And it has to be managed carefully.”

Holness said he’s aware that there will be calls for spending, “but I assure you that my Administration will spend to relieve human suffering; but with every dollar that is spent, it will be accounted for and from an efficiency point of view.”

He further argued that the disaster provides an opportunity for Jamaica to rebuild stronger, do things differently and to rearrange and restructure the country’s fiscal and social arrangements in such a way that all can benefit.

He also stated that the Government is currently finalising the purchase of small modular homes. The first batch to arrive will be focused on the constituency of Westmoreland Eastern and adjoining constituencies.

Focus will also be placed heavily on the distribution of tarpaulins.

Within the next few days, there will also be a push to remove the mountains of debris that have been of great concern. Holness noted that following the clean-up of Catherine Hall in St James within the upcoming days, the team will be redeployed to clean up the Bluefields to Whitehouse corridor.

CAF Development Bank of Latin America’s Caribbean country representative Dr Stacy Richards-Kennedy reiterated that financing, grants and technical support are available for such disaster recovery efforts.

“We have already mobilised a significant humanitarian grant funding in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Melissa and we have already earmarked additional grant funding for the people and Government of Jamaica. We estimate this to the tune of very close to US$1 million but we also have additional facilities that we can mobilise and we are working steadfastly to do so,” Richards-Kennedy said.