JAMAICA SENDS 120 SOLDIERS TO HURRICANE-RAVAGED BAHAMAS!

Prime Minister Andrew Holness (left) greets a member of the Jamaica Defense Force Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) at Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston on Saturday ahead of a relief mission to The Bahamas through support from the Royal Canadian Air Force. —

A contingent of 120 Jamaica Defense Force (JDF) soldiers departed the island Saturday afternoon to provide recovery and humanitarian support to The Bahamas, following the devastation caused by Hurricane Dorian.

They were accompanied by 11 members of the Royal Canadian Air Force, which provided airlift support.

At least 43 persons in The Bahamas have died and homes and infrastructure destroyed as a result of Hurricane Dorian, which hit the country as a Category Five system.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness who met with the troops at the Norman Manley International Airport ahead of their departure, expressed gratitude to the Canadian Government for facilitating the deployment of the JDF Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to The Bahamas.

“This is now the second time that the Governments of Jamaica and Canada and the defense forces of both countries have worked together to provide airlift for the Disaster Assistance Response Team,” he said, regarding the airlift support provided for deployment of the JDF to Dominica in the aftermath of hurricane in 2017.

The prime minister said that the JDF was prepared to assist in any area that the Bahamian Government may require but in the initial stages, the focus will be on recovery, search and rescue, logistics, medical assistance and any emergency engineering needs.

Holness said the Government of Jamaica was considering other ways of supporting the people of The Bahamas, noting that he had been in close contact with the country’s Prime Minister Hubert Minnis.

In the meantime, Holness said that a decision was taken to increase the members of the JDF DART given the threats associated with climate change.

“We recognize that with the change in climate that we could have multiples of these kinds of extreme weather events and so, although we are sending 120 men to The Bahamas, we still have reserve capacity here, that God forbid, anything was to happen in Jamaica or elsewhere, [we] would be in a position to respond,” he said.

Holness charged the team to be good ambassadors of Jamaica while executing their duties.

“There are Jamaicans in The Bahamas, look out for them as you would look out for the Bahamian people that you are going there to serve,” he said.

For her part, Canadian High Commissioner to Jamaica Laurie Peters said her country stood ready to collaborate and provide further assistance.

“We are standing side by side with Jamaica in support of our Caribbean neighbors. It’s a proud moment for me to see the Royal Canadian Air Force, Hercules C130 (aircraft) here on duty to transport and airlift the Jamaica Defense Force in aid of the Bahamian people,” she said.

Also at the airport were Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Senator Kamina Johnson Smith; Chief of Defense Staff Lieutenant General Rocky Meade; and Canadian Defense Attaché to the West Indies Col Jacques O’Keefe.