Caribbean News
Affirm Our Children – National Child Month Committee
#Jamaica, April 13, 2018 – Kingston – The National Child Month Committee (NCMC) is calling on citizens to provide a supportive and positive environment for the nation’s children as it prepares to observe Child Month in May under the theme ‘A.F.F.I.R.M Me!’.
Chairman of the NCMC, Dr. Pauline Mullings, explained that A.F.F.I.R.M is an acronym for “Acknowledge me, (Be) Friend Me, Favour Me, Influence me positively, Respect Me, and Motivate Me” and emerged out of calls by children for adults to recognise and validate their worth.
She said that “children need an environment that fosters love, care, friendship and appreciation, and they also desire from us as adults to be role models, who will impact their lives in a positive way”.
“We must, therefore, use the God-given opportunity afforded to us to shape the lives of our young ones through our words and actions. Words are powerful and actions are just as potent, and what we sow today, what we speak over them helps to shape their destiny and, by extension, the destiny of this nation,” she added.
Dr. Mullings was addressing the media launch of Child Month at GraceKennedy’s head office in downtown Kingston on April 11.
The calendar of activities for Child Month includes a national church service on Sunday, May 6 at the William Knibb Memorial Baptist Church in Falmouth, Trelawny, beginning at 9:30 a.m.
National Children’s Day will be observed on Friday, May 18 with special activities for children at Half-Way Tree, downtown Kingston, and Montego Bay; and a National Day of Prayer and Fasting will be held on Wednesday, May 30 at the May Pen New Testament Church of God from 10:00 a.m.to 2:00 p.m.
The observance will go beyond May, to include the Youth Outstanding Academic Achievement Awards Ceremony to recognise students from non-traditional high schools, which will be held on Wednesday, June 27 at The Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston.
A Youth Forum is scheduled for Friday, November 2 at the St. Andrew Parish Church Hall, 16 Ellesmere Road, Kingston 10 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
In addition to the activities organised by the committee, the entity will be partnering with the Jamaica Fire Brigade in its campaign ‘Jamaica’s Future is on Fire… Mek Wi Fix It’, which aims to get children to acknowledge fire safety practices and extend these to friends and families.
The NCMC has joined forces with the coordinators of the Family Expo and Special Resource Needs Fair, which will be held on Saturday, May 26.
The NCMC Chairman is imploring groups and individuals who are staging events during May to celebrate children, and to register with the committee so that there can be greater visibility of projects and activities.
“We are aiming to have a registry where we know exactly all of the persons who are involved, all the groups who are involved, what is it that you are doing for children,” Dr. Mullings said.
She is urging persons to contact Social Media Coordinator, Ruth Lawrence, at 466-6372, or email ncmcja@gmail.com for further details
Sponsors of Child Month include GraceKennedy Ltd., National Baking Company Ltd., Kingston Bookshop, RJRGLEANER Communications Group, National Health Fund, General Accident Insurance Company Ltd., Island Grill Ltd., Jamaica Producers Group Ltd., and Restaurants of Jamaica.
Release: JIS
A week of wind, water, and heartbreak
From Haiti’s hillsides to Bermuda’s reefs, seven Caribbean nations have been battered, bruised, and forever marked by Hurricane Melissa — a storm that tested not only the region’s infrastructure but its unshakable spirit of unity.
Saturday–Sunday, October 25–26 – The First Strike: Hispaniola
Before the storm even earned its name, torrential rain and flash floods swept across Haiti and the Dominican Republic, claiming lives and
tearing through rural communities.
In southern Haiti, rivers burst their banks, swallowing roads and homes; 23 people were confirmed dead by Sunday evening. Across the border, one death was reported in the Dominican Republic as swollen rivers cut off villages in Barahona and Pedernales.
By nightfall, the tropical system had strengthened — and the Caribbean knew it was facing something historic.
Monday, October 27 – Evacuations and Airlifts
In The Bahamas, Prime Minister Philip Davis issued a mandatory evacuation for the MICAL Islands — Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins, Long Cay, and Ragged Island.
Bahamasair added extra flights as the nation braced for what forecasters warned could become the strongest storm in nearly two decades.
Meanwhile, Jamaica, Turks & Caicos, and Cuba activated their national emergency operations centers.
Tuesday, October 28 – Jamaica and Haiti Hit Hard
By afternoon, Hurricane Melissa made landfall near St Elizabeth, Jamaica, as a Category 5 hurricane — winds of 185 mph, central pressure 892 mb, the lowest ever recorded so close to the island.
Roads collapsed, bridges washed away, and Black River Hospital lost its roof. Power failed for 72 percent of the island.
BOJ TV footage shows split asphalt, sparking lines, and flooded communities abandoned for safety.
Initially four were reported dead, that grew to seven deaths and heavy damage in 170 communities; Andrew Holness, Jamaican Prime Minister calling it “a national test of resilience.”
Haiti, still recovering from the weekend’s flooding, was hit again as outer bands dumped more rain on Les Cayes and Jacmel, deepening the humanitarian crisis.
Wednesday, October 29 – Crossing to Cuba
Weakened slightly to Category 4 (145 mph), Melissa tracked north-northeast at 8 mph, hammering eastern Cuba with hurricane-force winds
and mudslides. Over 15 000 people were evacuated from Santiago de Cuba and Holguín.
In Turks & Caicos, the Regiment deployed to Grand Turk, Salt Cay, South, North and Middle Caicos, preparing shelters and securing public buildings.
Thursday, October 30 – The Bahamas and the All Clear
Melissa’s speed increased, sparing the northern Caribbean its worst.
The Bahamas Airport Authority closed 13 airports from Mayaguana to Exuma International; none reported casualties, though infrastructure suffered.
In Turks & Caicos, the all-clear came early Thursday after minimal impact. Premier Washington Misick expressed gratitude and pledged support for neighbors:
“We must act — not only with words, but with compassion and deeds.”
Friday, October 31 – Counting the Cost
By Friday, Melissa had weakened to Category 3 (120 mph) north of Cuba.
The Bahamas Department of Meteorology issued its final alert, lifting warnings for the southern islands.
Regional toll:
- Haiti: 23 dead, thousands displaced.
- Jamaica: 7 dead, 170 communities damaged; 72% without electricity
- Cuba: 2 dead, 15, 000 evacuated.
- Dominican Republic: 1 dead, flooding in southwest.
- Bahamas: 0 dead, minor infrastructure damage and flooding in southeast.
- Turks & Caicos: minimal to no impact.
Relief and Reconnection
The Cayman Islands became the first government to touch down in Jamaica post-storm. Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly led a contingent bringing a plane-load of essentials and pledged US $1.2 million in aid.
Reggae icon Shaggy arrived on a private jet with friends, delivering food, medical kits, and hygiene supplies.
Meanwhile, Starlink and FLOW Jamaica activated emergency satellite internet across Jamaica providing free connectivity through November.
From overseas, U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking during his Asia tour, announced that American search-and-rescue teams and disaster aid will support the region.
“They can depend on U.S. assistance as they recover from this historic storm,” he said.
Faith, Funds, and False Websites
The Government of Jamaica and the Sandals Foundation have both launched verified donation portals for recovery. Officials are warning against fake crowdfunding pages posing as relief sites and urging donors to use only official channels.
A Seventh Nation in the Crosshairs – Bermuda
As Hurricane Melissa left the Caribbean basin, Bermuda found itself next in line.
Forecasts indicated the storm would pass just west of the island late Thursday into Friday, likely as a Category 1 to 2 hurricane with sustained winds near 105 mph.
Though far weaker than when it ravaged Jamaica, officials issued a hurricane warning, urging residents to secure property and expect tropical-storm conditions.
By all appearances Bermuda is heeding the warnings
The Human Response
Across the Caribbean, solidarity surged.
The Global Empowerment Mission (GEM) in Miami began airlifting relief supplies, while churches, civic groups, and businesses in The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos organized drives for displaced families.
“Your dedication gave our islands the strength to face the storm,” Premier Misick said. “Together, as one Caribbean family, we will rise stronger.”
Resilience in the Wake
Melissa’s winds may have faded, but her impact endures. Engineers are inspecting bridges, hillsides, and water systems; volunteers are clearing debris and distributing aid in communities still cut off.
From Haiti’s ravaged river valleys to Jamaica’s sugar towns, from Cuba’s eastern hills to The Bahamas’ salt ponds and Bermuda’s reefs, the region once again stands at the crossroads of ruin and renewal — and leans, as always, toward hope and a faithful God
