16th November 2025…….The Honourable Prime Minister Gaston Browne, accompanied by his wife and Minister Maria Browne, will depart for Jamaica on Monday morning as part of a CARICOM delegation to express solidarity with the Jamaican Government and people in the wake of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Melissa.
Prime Minister Browne’s visit will focus on Montego Bay and surrounding communities in St. James, one of the areas hardest hit by the Category 5 storm. The delegation will meet with Prime Minister Andrew Holness, local leaders, assess recovery efforts, and support regional coordination on relief and reconstruction.
Prime Minister Browne said, “As CARICOM brothers and sisters, we cannot stand by when one of our own is suffering. Jamaica has endured an unimaginable blow, and we must rally around its people — not just in messages of comfort, but with action, coordinated support, and a shared commitment to rebuild.”
He added, “Our visit to Montego Bay is deeply symbolic: to show that we stand in solidarity, to assess first-hand where help is most needed, and to work together on building back not just what was lost, but what is necessary for a more resilient future.”
Minister Maria Browne, accompanying her husband, expressed her personal sorrow: “It breaks my heart to see the destruction and to think of families who lost loved ones and their homes. I join the people of Jamaica in mourning, and in hope — hope for renewal, reconstruction, and unity in the Caribbean.” Twenty-eight fatalities are associated with the passage of Hurricane Melissa over Jamaica.
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on October 28, 2025, as a devastating Category 5 storm, unleashing sustained winds reported at up to 185 mph and causing catastrophic damage across western and southern parishes.
In Montego Bay, entire roofs were torn off homes, and debris littered roads. The storm severely damaged infrastructure, including critical public buildings and Sangster International Airport.
According to Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness, the damage from Melissa may cost between US$6 billion and US$7 billion, or about 28–32% of the country’s GDP, with significant long-term economic impact.
Recovery efforts are underway, but challenges remain: many communities remain cut off due to blocked roads and fallen power lines, and relief is being hampered by the scale of debris — an estimated 5 million tons, or the equivalent of 480,000 truckloads, according to UN and regional agencies.
Regional mechanisms have mobilized swiftly. The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) activated its Regional Response Mechanism, deploying teams to coordinate with national authorities, international partners, and neighbouring states.
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) has also played a leading role, sending high-level representatives to Jamaica, delivering essential health supplies (including masks, lab kits, mosquito nets), and carrying out public health damage assessments.
In a message of unity, the Caribbean Tourism Organization reaffirmed its commitment, declaring: “One Caribbean will rise stronger” in its recovery from Melissa.
While in Jamaica, Prime Minister Browne and members of the CARICOM delegation will Travel to Montego Bay, where the most severe damage has been documented; Meet with local leaders, first responders, and survivors to hear about urgent needs; Visit shelters, debris-clearing operations, and other recovery sites; Hold high-level talks with Jamaican Government officials to discuss regional disaster financing, long-term recovery, and climate resilience; and engage with CARPHA and CDEMA teams to coordinate future regional disaster-preparedness initiatives.
Prime Minister Browne reiterated CARICOM’s commitment not just to immediate relief, but to long-term reconstruction. “This is about rebuilding homes, infrastructure, public health systems, and economies – but also about preparing for the future,” he said. “Melissa is a warning: climate change is not coming, it is already here. We must work together as a Caribbean community to invest in resilience and mobilize regional and international support.”
He encouraged regional and international partners to support Jamaica’s recovery efforts, including through CARICOM-led channels, development agencies, and multilateral institutions.
Prime Minister Browne’s mission underscores Antigua and Barbuda’s and CARICOM’s unwavering solidarity with Jamaica. It is a tangible demonstration of regional unity in the face of disaster, and a call to collective action to rebuild stronger, smarter, and more resilient.
“As the region confronts the challenges of recovery, the leadership of CARICOM — embodied in this visit — is a powerful affirmation that when one Caribbean nation falters, the rest stand ready to help lift it up.”
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I like that sort of support but the people need tangible help as well not just well wishes
Pm accompanied by his wife and minister Maria Browne ?? Is his wife different from minister Maria Browne?
Another reminder that Caribbean nations must work together in the face of stronger hurricanes.