US pledges another $10 million to support Jamaica’s hurricane recovery

The United States has pledged an additional US$10 million to support Jamaica’s recovery efforts following the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa, bringing the total U.S. contribution to US$22 million.

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The announcement was made on Monday by U.S. Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs, and Religious Freedom, Jeremy Lewin, during a meeting with Prime Minister Andrew Holness at the Office of the Prime Minister.

Holness expressed his gratitude to the United States for being among the first international partners to respond after the storm.

“This support was invaluable, especially in the logistic operations, which would have been augmented by your helicopters,” Holness said. “The JDF has some airlift capability, but it is nothing compared to the U.S. fleet. We were able to reach many marooned villages because you made heavy lift helicopters available.”

The Prime Minister noted that preliminary assessments estimate the hurricane’s damage at around US$68 billion, though evaluations are still ongoing. He emphasized that Jamaica’s recovery will depend heavily on the assistance of international partners.

“It’s comforting to know that our closest partner, the United States, is willing to help us as much as we need,” Holness added. He also announced plans to pursue strategic partnerships with the U.S. in infrastructure investment, technology transfers, and commerce.

Lewin said the U.S. government’s support extends beyond financial aid.

“That does not include all the military personnel or all the search-and-rescue,” he said. “The financial commitments made by the United States and the Secretary of State are significant and show how important Jamaica is. The Jamaican people are resilient and proud, just like ours, and we believe they will bounce back quickly and build even better.”

He reaffirmed Washington’s long-term commitment to Jamaica’s recovery efforts, saying, “We will be there tomorrow. We will be back next month. We’ll be there for every stage of the recovery.”