Trinidad and Tobago students in Jamaica traumatised by Hurricane Melissa

A convoy carrying aid to Black River, which was hit by Hurricane Melissa, makes its way through Holland Bamboo, Jamaica, on October 29, where downed trees and debris partially block the road. - AP PHOTO

ALTHOUGH TT students in Jamaica are physically safe, many are affected mentally by the experience of living through hurricane Melissa which made landfall in Jamaica on October 28 as a powerful Category 5 storm.

Melinda Alfred, Tobago representative of the TT Student Association at the UWI Mona Campus in Jamaica said it was the first time the students experienced a hurricane and they were traumatised.

“I know persons who are still crying. Some are unable to sleep alone or at all. I can’t say that people are emotionally okay.”

She recalled the windows on one of the dorm blocks at Elsa Leo-Rhynie Hall were pulled off by the high winds, leaving several rooms open to the elements.

“Some of the students had to tie them (the windows) up and hold them while the hurricane was passing, and water got into some of the rooms.”

She said they had been affected by the weather since October 25 and for five days after.

At the moment there was no WiFi or electricity in several halls, but generators were being turned on every few hours or so for several hours to allow them some comforts. But because of the power outages many had to dispose of a lot of food, including meat.

“It’s genuinely such a frustrating and mentally exhausting experience for the past two weeks.”

Jaden Paris, vice president of the association added that the students received food, toiletries and water from the TT High Commission in Jamaica, and the association president purchased non-perishable food items with donations from Jamaican and TT sponsors before the hurricane hit, so the Mona students were not too worried about being fed for the moment. He was very grateful to them.

He also stressed that, despite a few incidents during the hurricane, everyone was safe and they were in the midst of organising the post-hurricane response.

Alfred said central government, the Tobago House of Assembly, the Tobago Emergency Management Agency as well as TT citizens and TT Mona past students sent donations of non-perishable food and money through the High Commission. Those donations were expected to be dropped off for the students on November 1.

They were also supposed to receive food from the Global Empowerment Mission but it was re-routed to parishes which were more badly affected by the hurricane.

Even as they have little, the members of the Association were trying to gather non-perishable food items to donate to parishes which were severely impacted, as there were also TT citizens living off campus and at other educational institutions.

According to Alfred, there were aware of approximately 350 students in Jamaica, but new people were joining the association’s group chat every day, so they were catering for 400 people.

She said people were still reaching out for food, so she hoped they would be able to receive and distribute it soon.

As the Tobago representative she was trying to track down all the Tobagonians and get their contact information, as not everyone was on Gate (Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses Programme) or had national bursaries so they were not on any official notification lists.

She knew of two Tobagonian athletes living in St Elizabeth parish where Melissa made landfall. She said they were physically well but their communication was limited. Other students’ dorms in St Elizabeth were completely destroyed.