Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport, Works & Housing (MTWH) Hon. Richard Azan, will lead a Jamaican delegation to hurricane ravaged Dominica. The delegation leaves the island today (Sunday, September 06, 2015). 

Minister Azan will be accompanied by Mr. EG Hunter, CEO of the National Works Agency (NWA), Mr. Varden Downer, Director of Major Projects at the NWA, Mr. Roger Smith, NWA’s Technical Services Director along with representatives of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), and Officers from the Jamaica Defence Force, JDF. 

The delegation headed by Minister Azan will undertake an assessment of infrastructural damage with a view to offering technical assistance in the recovery process and discuss how Jamaica can further assist with rehabilitation to ensure rapid recovery from the devastation. The eastern Caribbean island of Dominica suffered loss of lives and major infrastructural damage to roads, homes, bridges and buildings as a result of a most destructive impact from Tropical Storm Erika on Thursday, August 27. 

The Government of Jamaica has already pledged one hundred thousand US dollars, two bailey bridges and technical expertise in the areas of Health and Engineering as part of its programme of assistance to Dominica.  Consultations are also ongoing between the Ministry of Health and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to outline Jamaica’s strategy for extending medical assistance to the country in keeping with identified needs. 

While in Dominica, the Jamaican delegation will meet with Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, the Minister of Transport, Hon. Don Corritte, Director of the Office of Disaster Management and other officials. 

Minister Azan and the other members of the delegation will return to Jamaica on September 12, 2015.