KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaican government has received a significant boost for its recovery efforts following Hurricane Beryl, with a donation of $200,000 and medical equipment from the Cayman Islands.
The donation was presented to Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Thursday, July 18, by Cayman Islands Premier Julianna O’Connor-Connolly, who led a delegation from the Cayman Islands on a working visit to Jamaica.
During the summit at Downing Street, Prime Minister Holness expressed deep gratitude for the generous support. “On behalf of the people of Jamaica, I want to thank our brothers, sisters, and families in the Cayman Islands for this donation. This is no small donation. It is significant and we are grateful,” Holness stated.
The Prime Minister assured that the donated funds would be directed towards assisting those affected by the hurricane. “I can assure you that this money will be used to assist families who have been displaced and relocated. It will be put into a disaster response fund managed by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) and distributed as needed,” Holness said.
Premier O’Connor-Connolly highlighted the strong bonds between the two nations. “Jamaica holds many connections for us. As a woman of faith, as a leader, as a neighbor, and as a brother, I want to reach out to you. I was especially pleased to hear that your ports and airports are nearly back on their feet. It is an honor and a special privilege to present this small gift,” she said.
She also offered support for addressing power transmission issues affecting public service restoration in hard-hit areas. The Cayman Islands delegation visited several affected regions along Jamaica’s southern coast, where torrential rains and strong winds had caused extensive damage to infrastructure and losses in the agricultural sector.
