Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary-General, Dr. Carla Barnett has praised Jamaica for its unwavering dedication to regional affairs, even as the nation undertakes recovery initiatives following the impact of Hurricane Melissa.
A CARICOM press release said that during the opening session of the 56th Community Council of Ministers meeting on December 16 in Georgetown, Guyana, Dr. Barnett addressed Jamaica’s Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, who presided over the gathering. It reported that she expressed her support for Jamaica’s ongoing efforts to rebuild, emphasizing CARICOM’s solidarity amidst the challenges posed by the hurricane, which made landfall on October 28 with persistent winds reaching 185 mph.
In her speech, Minister Johnson Smith reflected on the hurricane’s repercussions: “Just when we were about to breathe a sigh of relief towards the end of the Hurricane Season, Jamaica felt firsthand the realities of our vulnerabilities through Melissa, the strongest hurricane to hit Jamaica and the first as a Category Five.”
She also noted that the region was fortunate that other neighboring countries did not experience similar levels of destruction, acknowledging that had the storm been more severe elsewhere, the damages could have been far worse.
“The physical damage continues to be a source of difficulty for us. We want to thank all the CARICOM countries which have supported not only in solidarity but in action, those who sent personnel, the leaders who came in person, those who sent linesmen through CARILEC assisting with electricity restoration, and the Guyana Defence Force members right now on the ground rebuilding roofs in Westmoreland. The support has been overwhelming. The goodwill has been heartwarming,” Johnson Smith stated.
She emphasized that CARICOM’s unified response exemplifies the strength and unity the Community endeavors to maintain.
“We know that in times when others had suffered similarly, we have been able to send personnel. It is therefore very meaningful to feel the cycle of generosity throughout Melissa,” Jamaica’s Foreign Minister remarked.
Furthermore, the release stated that Minister Johnson Smith highlighted that Hurricane Melissa, which followed the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, underscores the severe consequences of climate change and the ongoing susceptibility of the Caribbean region. She stressed the critical need to prioritize resilience-building and comprehensive climate action, including climate justice initiatives.
Looking ahead to 2026, Secretary-General Barnett outlined the Community’s strategic priorities, affirming that CARICOM will continue to speak with a unified voice and bolster capacities to confront both current and future challenges.
“Climate change and climate finance remain high on our agenda. So too are ongoing concerns with crime and violence, health and wellness, and the situation in Haiti. We continue to focus on the implementation of the CSME, on information and communication technology including artificial intelligence, on food and nutrition security, on youth development and empowerment, and foreign and community relations,” she stated.
Barnett further noted that as the international landscape shifts and new risks emerge, the Secretariat remains committed to enhancing its operational efficiency and aligning its strategic Work Programme with the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, to foster deeper economic integration across the region.
From 1962 to now? I still think Caricom should go thru with ratification without Jamaica and Trinidad. There’s lots of benefit in banding together as one nation, not just population numbers, which is already huge when we add Haiti and Bahamas. It’s imperative this thing get wings now, it won’t be perfect, but later you smooth out the edges.