Gov’t to Send Healthcare Supplies, Military Personnel, and APUA Linesmen to Jamaica and Cuba After Hurricane Melissa

The Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Gaston Browne, met this week with a special focus on the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, which devastated parts of Jamaica and Cuba.

The meeting provided key updates on the welfare of Antiguan and Barbudan students studying in both countries and outlined the nation’s plans to assist in recovery efforts.

Prime Minister Browne informed Cabinet that 53 students studying in Jamaica were safely secured at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston during the height of the storm. The government provided accommodation for a seven-day period to ensure their safety while infrastructure and utilities were being restored.

The students are now preparing to return to their respective universities to resume studies on Monday, November 3.

Cabinet members collectively expressed gratitude that all Antiguan and Barbudan nationals in the affected areas were unharmed, offering prayers of comfort for the families of those who lost their lives as the Category 5 hurricane swept through the region.

Recognizing the widespread destruction across both Jamaica and Cuba, the Cabinet pledged to assist their Caribbean and regional partners in the rebuilding process.

The government agreed to dispatch healthcare supplies, military personnel, and APUA linesmen to aid in restoring essential services and humanitarian support.

Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful storms to strike the Caribbean in recent years, caused catastrophic flooding, power outages, and loss of life across several islands. In Jamaica, entire communities were cut off by floodwaters, and critical infrastructure suffered major damage. Cuba also experienced heavy rainfall and high winds, particularly in its western provinces.

Antigua and Barbuda’s gesture of solidarity underscores the nation’s commitment to regional unity and cooperation in times of crisis. As Prime Minister Browne has often emphasized, Caribbean nations share not only geographic proximity but a bond of mutual support when adversity strikes.

Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health, and the Antigua Public Utilities Authority are currently coordinating logistics for the humanitarian deployment, which is expected to begin in the coming days