As the electricity gets turned back on things start to be returning back to normal in and around Negril, but please remember that parts of this island are still experiencing unimajinable hardship.
First of all a bit of our story; My wife and I honeymooned in Negril in 1992 and returned on vacation every year for 32 years, sometimes twice a year (if you experienced a Manitoba winter you'd know why). We bought property at The Point Village in 2012. When we both retired we sold The Point property and moved to the south coast. We live in Whitehouse now which was the epicentre of Melissa. There are parts of Belmont, Bluefield's and Farm district that have been absolutely flattened. Whitehouse has been heavily damaged and the town of Black River has been all but wiped out. Bless the US Navy, Army and Marines as they sent a ship with big helicopters shortly after Melissa. Most of the roads have now been cleared so most aid is now delivered by trucks and vans.
I have not seen the Red Cross or USAID in this area but that doesn't mean they're not here. I have definitely not seen any aid with a Canadian flag on it. You cannot imagine the disappoint I feel right now with my Country. Canada used to be at the forefront of aid to struggling countries after a disaster. Canada and their DART (Disaster Assistance Response Team) were always the first boots on the ground after a disaster and DART specialised in drilling for and filtering clean drinking water.
The only aid that I am seeing every where right now, and I do mean every where, is World Central Kitchen (WCK) but again that doesn't mean no one else is here. I understand that Sandals South Coast was hit hard but have opened up their main kitchen to WCK to make their meals for distribution so Thank you to Sandals as well.
So if you want to help Jamaica out, please make a donation to WCK and if you are Canadian please lobby your MP for information on where the money donated to Jamaica has gone and express that Canada should be doing more for another Commonwealth Country in this western hemisphere.
https://wck.org
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