Caribbean News
Staff at Bustamante Hospital for Children Commended for Response During Earthquake
#Jamaica, November 11, 2023 – Senior Medical Officer (SMO) at the Bustamante Hospital for Children, Dr. Michelle-Ann Richards-Dawson, has commended the staff of the facility for remaining calm and collected during the earthquake that rocked the island on Monday, October 30.
Dr. Richards-Dawson pointed out that in a paediatric institution there are children of different ages and sizes and that it is important for the staff to not only think of themselves but also about the children in their care.
The SMO told JIS News that while staff members were very responsive, kudos must also be given to the parents who were on location as well.
“The staff responded by removing themselves and the patients from immediate harm and going to the assembly points, but we did not do this alone.
We were assisted by the parents who were there, so we gathered the children and guided them to the safe spaces,” she recalled.
“We also had to ensure that persons were settled afterwards, because some of the children were quite shaken and emotional as well. We have to give kudos to the parents who were there visiting at the time in terms of managing the
children, not only their own but, in true Jamaican style, huddled everybody and ensured that everybody was taken care of,” Dr. Richards-Dawson said.
The SMO was pleased to report that it became obvious during the exercise that physical property was not the most important thing on the minds of the staff, but rather preservation of life, “so our priority was to take care of the children, take care of our staff, make sure everybody is fine”.
Dr. Richards-Dawson said that the institution also had to deal with patients who were coming into the facility after the earthquake.
“Within two hours of the event we started seeing an influx of patients. We expected to see some trauma cases, which we did. What we actually saw was students from about six surrounding schools who were fainting and having panic attacks,” she explained.
The SMO said that there were four children with injuries, who required admission, one of which was because of falling objects.
There was another instance, she said, where there was a stampede because the children panicked, and one child who was trampled was also admitted.
Dr. Richards-Dawson also had high commendations for schools in general because it was observed that the children reacted in the way that they were trained to do.
In terms of infrastructure, the SMO said that a few ceiling tiles came down and a few objects fell off the walls.
“It reminded us how we have to secure items to ensure that in the eventuality of an earthquake they do not become harmful to our children, staff or parents,” she said.
“Overall, I think the team did well and we were also reminded to review our plans frequently, to ensure that we are up to date in all aspects of our response and there is always room for improvement. It has also alerted and reminded us that we must always be prepared for the unexpected and how we react in that situation to ensure that everyone is taken care of and that no one is left behind,” the SMO added.
Imagine an Atlantic Bridge connecting the Caribbean Region to the African Continent
Deandrea Hamilton | Editor
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — When CARICOM leaders convened with African counterparts and Afreximbank officials in Ethiopia, the outcomes were savory and exactly what many Caribbean people want to see materialise as the islands become uniquely reconnected to the African continent.
At the Second CARICOM-Africa Summit, held at the African Union headquarters, leaders moved beyond symbolic language to agree on a draft communiqué that, if finalized, would anchor this partnership in practical action. While not yet officially published by the AU or CARICOM, the document points to an agenda that blends history with urgent twenty-first century priorities.
The draft outlines commitments to improve air and sea transport links, including the pursuit of a multilateral air services agreement to break down the barriers that still keep the Caribbean and Africa physically apart. It also calls for visa facilitation and simplified entry regimes, making it easier for citizens of both regions to travel, study, and work across the Atlantic.
Equally significant are pledges to advance double taxation treaties that could remove one of the most stubborn obstacles to investment.
With Afreximbank’s Caribbean headquarters already established in Barbados and the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF) gaining momentum, leaders now want to lock in the financial and legal frameworks that will drive new business.
Reparatory justice also featured prominently, with the draft communiqué sharpening a joint call for coordinated advocacy. CARICOM’s long-standing Reparations Commission is expected to work more closely with African institutions to demand global recognition and redress for the shared traumas of slavery and colonial exploitation.
CARICOM’s incoming chair, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew of St. Kitts and Nevis, captured the spirit of the gathering when he urged that the Atlantic Slave Trade be reimagined as an “Atlantic Bridge — a bridge of hope, a bridge of advancement, a bridge that will ensure our people take their rightful place in this world.”
For Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett, the meeting was a “homecoming,” but also a reminder that concrete steps like the Health Development Partnership for Africa and the Caribbean (HeDPAC) and improved transportation links are needed to transform rhetoric into results.
For citizens back home, wrestling with inflation and economic uncertainty, the Addis outcomes — transport, visas, investment, health, and reparations — are precisely the kinds of measures that can validate leaders’ journeys and rekindle faith in South-South cooperation. What was once only rhetoric now hints at the beams of an Atlantic Bridge, connecting the Caribbean and Africa in ways that could finally turn history’s tragedy into tomorrow’s advantage.
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