Guyana stands ready to support Jamaica – Pres Ali

– as Hurricane Melissa heads towards island, President assures safety of Guyanese students there

President Dr Irfaan Ali has announced that the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) are ready to support Jamaica, as the country braces for the devastating Hurricane Melissa.

The Head of State, in a message on Sunday, emphasised his Government’s support for Jamaica and Guyanese, especially students, living in the country.
“I’ve sent off a letter to the government of Jamaica telling them that the Guyana Defence Force and the CDC are fully mobilised and stand ready to support every effort in this very dangerous situation.
I want to ask all of you to remain safe, remain calm, support each other, and I want you to know that we are putting a full mechanism in place.”
The President also underscored that Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has been tasked with mobilising the private sector and other stakeholders to “get some level of support to the students and any vulnerable families in Jamaica”.
The Guyana Government is monitoring developments with Hurricane Melissa, which strengthened into a Category 4 storm on Sunday and is expected to bring significant rain, wind and flooding threats to the eastern Caribbean.
President Ali emphasised that Guyana stands ready to provide assistance, noting that both the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) have been placed on alert to be mobilised if support is requested.
“The Government of Jamaica has been informed of Guyana’s willingness to assist should it be required,” the statement noted.

Guyanese students in Jamaica
With the hurricane fast approaching Jamaica, where a number of Guyanese students are studying, Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said it is closely monitoring the situation.
According to an official statement from the Office of the President, President Ali has mandated Permanent Secretary (PS) Sharon Roopchand-Edwards to engage directly with Guyana’s Honorary Consul in Jamaica, as well as with Guyanese students and residents, to assess their needs and ensure all necessary precautions are taken.
The Ministry has also been instructed to prepare care packages and emergency support, if required.
Additionally, the Guyana Government has been in direct contact with Jamaican authorities and emergency response agencies as part of its coordination and readiness efforts.
Guyanese students or nationals in Jamaica who may require assistance or additional information are urged to contact the PS at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation via telephone at +592 611 0345 or email at [email protected].
The Government of Guyana continues to extend solidarity with the people and Government of Jamaica as the country braces for the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
According to a Reuter’s report, the tropical Storm Melissa which manifested earlier last week, is a rapidly intensifying storm expected to wreak havoc across the Caribbean with catastrophic floods, landslides and storm surges expected in Jamaica and southern Hispaniola into early next week, forcing authorities and residents to batten down.
Hurricane Melissa is currently located about 130 miles (210 km) southeast of Kingston and about 250 miles southwest of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, according to the NHC advisory. Maximum sustained winds increased to near 90 mph (150 km/h).
It is already causing flooding on the island