Anthony Henry/Contributor

UK Minister for Latin America and the Caribbean, Chris Elmore, has reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to Jamaica’s long-term recovery and climate resilience following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.

Minister Elmore concluded a two-day official visit to the island on Wednesday (December 3), days after the UK provided £8 million (approximately J$1.7 billion) in humanitarian and emergency relief. The support – an initial £7.5 million with an additional £500,000 added has been channelled through partners including UNICEF, the Red Cross, the World Food Programme and the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO).

Elmore said the UK intends to remain a close partner as Jamaica rebuilds. “I never expected that my first visit to Jamaica in this role would be in the wake of the country’s most significant hurricane in 70 years,” he said.

“It has been deeply affecting to see the destructive impact on so many communities. The UK continues to stand with Jamaica as the country recovers we were glad to act quickly in providing £8 million in humanitarian support, and we continue to deliver assistance now, including through the deployment of UK emergency medical teams.”

According to a release from the British High Commission, the minister began his visit on December 2 in St Elizabeth, touring hurricane-affected sections of Black River with Superintendent Coleridge Minto, head of the St Elizabeth Police Division. He met residents, community leaders and local officers who outlined the scale of the damage and the recovery challenges they still face.

Elmore also visited a UNICEF-supported child-friendly space, where UK funding is helping to provide safe learning areas, psychosocial services and protection support for displaced or affected children.

A key stop on the itinerary was the Santa Cruz Health Centre, one of Jamaica’s UK-funded SMART health centres. The facility remained fully operational through Hurricanes Beryl and Melissa. Through the PAHO/WHO Smart Hospitals Initiative, the UK has invested £8.5 million (J$1.8 billion) to bolster Jamaica’s health-sector resilience upgrading four facilities to SMART Gold standard and improving eight others with safety, energy-efficient and climate-resilient features.

During the visit, Elmore met with several Cabinet members to discuss long-term recovery and bilateral priorities. 

Among those he engaged were: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, on UK–Jamaica cooperation and disaster recovery; Minister with responsibility for Works, Robert Morgan, on the delivery of 55 climate-resilient bridges funded through UK Export Finance (UKEF); Minister of Agriculture, Floyd Green; Minister of Education, Dr. Dana Morris Dixon; Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Senator Aubyn Hill; and PIOJ Director-General Dr Wayne Henry.

The minister also held discussions with private-sector leadership from the PSOJ, JCC, JMEA and JAMPRO, focusing on economic recovery, trade and future investment opportunities.

As part of the UK-funded Violence Prevention Partnership Programme, Elmore visited Haile Selassie High School, where he joined an interactive youth empowerment session involving the ministries of national security and education. Students from the ASHE Performing Arts Company delivered an “edutainment” performance tackling themes of gender-based violence and unsafe sexual practices.

“The students inspired me deeply. Their voices, creativity and resilience show exactly why the UK will continue investing in youth empowerment and violence prevention in Jamaica,” he said.

Elmore stressed that the UK’s assistance extends well beyond immediate relief efforts.

“Jamaica is a long-standing and valued partner of the UK, and I look forward to continuing to work together not just in times of crisis, but on our shared aspirations across trade, climate resilience, security and violence prevention. For all the devastation I have seen, there is a lot of hope.”