Jamaica thanks China for hurricane relief support

KINGSTON – Prime Minister Andrew Holness has expressed gratitude to the Government of the People’s Republic of China for its support to Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa, which caused extensive damage across parts of the island.

“The Chinese Government has been very good to us,” he said during a ceremony at the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) headquarters in Kingston where ten new tipper trucks, valued at approximately $200 million, were handed over to the agency.

The Prime Minister highlighted China’s contribution to hurricane relief and recovery efforts, including the deployment of the navy hospital ship, the Silk Road Ark, which provided critical medical care across several locations in Jamaica.

“The Silk Road Ark spent 11 days in Jamaica, treating patients at the Montego Bay Cruise Pier, the Port Royal Pier, and the Falmouth Pier. The ship’s team concluded its visit with 7 563 medical consultations and 715 surgical procedures performed,” he said.

“I was not able to go and visit. But I saw all the reports, and the [Government] Ministers were very impressed… and the hundreds of people who benefited, I’m sure, are grateful. So I want to use this opportunity, on behalf of the people of Jamaica, to say thanks to the Government of China for their support with the hospital ship,” Dr Holness added.

The Chinese medical team also donated essential medicines to Jamaica’s public health system and delivered health lectures during their visit.

Looking ahead, Dr Holness said China will assist Jamaica by supplying equipment for the National Clean‑Up Programme, including excavators, front-end loaders, and other heavy machinery.

“We have asked for certain kinds of equipment that will be used in debris management… excavators, front-end loaders and some other heavy equipment,” he said, noting that the equipment will be placed in the custody of the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) while remaining technically owned by the National Works Agency (NWA).

“The JDF will keep them in their fleet… but they are technically owned by the NWA. So, in the event of an extreme weather event, for example, a major landslide that will require more than just a private contractor, the equipment will be stationed with the JDF where they have an engineering corps, [and] they can be mobilised to deal with this,” Dr Holness explained.

He emphasised that the Government is leveraging these resources to strengthen Jamaica’s capacity to respond effectively to extreme weather events. (CMC)

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