OPPOSITION leader and president of the People’s National Party (PNP), Dr Peter Phillips has urged the Government to move swiftly in rescuing stranded Jamaicans in hurricane-ravaged islands across the Caribbean.

“… Many of them are facing a terrible plight and just simply want to come home in the midst of the tragedy,” Phillips said at Thursday night’s opening ceremony for the party’s 79th conference and in his first address as party president in that setting.

While expressing the party’s sympathies to the victims of Irma, the PNP leader said the recent catastrophe was an indication that there needs to be more integration across the region.

“The recent disaster caused by Hurricane Irma across the region has highlighted not only the continued vulnerability of the Caribbean region, but also the simple fact that our ability to respond to the complex challenges of this increasingly integrated and complexed world will necessitate a deepening regional cooperation,” said Phillips. “The scope and character of Caribbean regionalism will change with time. In the past, our regional commitments were focused mainly on the English-speaking Caribbean, but today our vision of the Caribbean must of necessity include our Spanish, French and Dutch-speaking neighbours.”

Islands across the region were last week ravaged by the category five storm that went on to affect sections of the United States.

On Thursday, the Andrew Holness-led Administration announced its intention to offer relief assistance to Jamaicans who were severely affected in the British Virgin Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands and St Martin.

At the same time, Minister of Local Government Desmond McKenzie, in a statement to the House, said the Government was working to assist Jamaicans who wish to return home.

The minister, however, pointed out that there was some amount of difficulty in finding everybody, noting that for proper assistance to be offered, an assessment is needed.

McKenzie said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade was working with community leaders in affected countries as well as the office of the high commission in Port of Spain, Trinidad, and the honorary consul in Turks and Caicos to ascertain the number of Jamaicans affected.

The Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management has sent specialist teams to offer assistance in Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas. The team includes members of the Jamaica Defence Force, National Environment and Planning Agency and National Works Agency.

And with the launch of the Jamaica Irma Relief Fund, McKenzie said interested Jamaicans can make donations in support of persons affected to National Commercial Bank account number 212387304. He made the first donation of $50,000.

The PNP conference will continue today and the public session held tomorrow at the National Arena under the theme “People’s Interest. Our Purpose. Our Passion”.

— Jediael Carter