CARICOM leaders meet to discuss impact of hurricanes Irma and Jose on the region

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders met in special emergency session during the weekend to discuss the impact of Hurricanes Irma and Jose on the region, have expressed concern about the long term psychological effects of the situation on the Caribbean.

At least 4 people were killed in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), and one each in Haiti, Barbuda and Anguilla as Hurricane Irma passed through the Lesser Antilles earlier this week causing millions of dollars in damages.
The storm also caused fatalities on Saint Maarten and St Barthelemy.

The leaders, who met by video “expressed concern about the long term psychological effects of the situation given the serious dislocation and sense of loss of the populations of the affected countries.
“They also stressed that these disasters emphasized the economic vulnerability of the region given the cost of recovery and the impact on economic activity of the affected countries,” according to a statement issued by the Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat late on Saturday night.

It said that the meeting, presided over by CARICOM Chairman, Keith Mitchell – the Prime Minister of Grenada – received a full briefing on the situation from representatives of the affected countries, the Barbados-based Caribbean Disaster Management Agency (CDEMA), the region’s lead agency for disaster response, CARICOM Secretary-General Irwin LaRocque and regional institutions.

British Virgin islands Premier, Orlando Smith; Bahamas Prime Minister Hubert Minnis; the Foreign Minister of Haiti, Antonio Rodrigues and a representative of the Turks & Caicos government provided the latest information on their countries, the statement noted.

Dominica’s Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerritt provided information on the situation on the island of St. Maarten where a significant number of CARICOM nationals are currently located and St. Lucia’s Prime Minister, Allen Chastenet – who is also the chairman of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean states (OECS) alerted the meeting to the situation in St. Kitts & Nevis.

CDEMA executive director, Ronald Jackson addressed the situation in Antigua & Barbuda and Anguilla as well as giving an update on the Community’s co-ordinated response to all the countries affected. Immediate needs were identified for those worst affected, particularly, Barbuda, British Virgin Islands and Anguilla.

These included water, food items, materials to aid in providing temporary shelter such as plywood and tarpaulins and especially cash to purchase items to help with the cost of immediate recovery efforts in the affected countries. An evacuation of Barbuda was well advanced due to the potential impact of Hurricane Jose.

Earlier last week, the CDEMA activated the Regional Response Mechanism (RRM) which co-ordinates relief action. The CDEMA’s advance team has been waiting in Antigua to go in to the affected countries in that area as soon as conditions permit, given the proximity of Hurricane Jose and the severe damage to ports of entry.
Hurricane Irma caused massive damage to property and infrastructure including sea and air ports which has hindered access to the islands, therefore affecting the arrival of assessment teams and the relief efforts.
Limited access has been established to Anguilla and the British Virgin Island. A team is also in Jamaica awaiting to proceed to the Turks & Caicos Islands, The Bahamas and Haiti. -(CMC)