Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar was at Point Lisas on Thursday to witness the first shipment of relief supplies being prepared for Jamaica.
The Prime Minister says the people of Jamaica are "our brothers and sisters" and she is happy to help them as they recover from the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
00:00Prime Minister Kamala Pissad-Bissassa was at Point Lisa's today to witness the first ship month of relief supplies being prepared for Jamaica.
00:07The Prime Minister says the people of Jamaica are our brothers and sisters, and she's happy to help them as they recover from the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
00:17The people of Jamaica are resilient people. They're strong and they will bounce back.
00:21And I feel very happy to be part of their bouncing back.
00:25So I feel sad, of course, as we all do, Jamaica, the people of Jamaica are cousins, brothers and sisters.
00:32I feel sad, but also I saw the strength and resilience.
00:36Prime Minister Kamala Pissad-Bissassa speaking with the media present during her tour of the Plip Deco Warehouse at the Point Lisa's Industrial Estate on Wednesday,
00:43where the packing and preparation were taking place for the first shipment of humanitarian relief supplies from Trinidad and Tobago to Jamaica,
00:52following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.
00:55Some media reports out of Jamaica have stated at least seven people died due to the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
01:01I was just 18 years old when I went to Jamaica, and I spent 14 years together with my husband there.
01:08They have lifted me up with me, and I'm very happy to help them today.
01:11I want to thank Prime Minister Holmest for his being there every single day, rallying his troops, rallying his people.
01:19Two bucks, five. They're resilient. They're very strong people, the people of Jamaica. I sent them all my love.
01:23Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holmest gave a damage assessment in a video update on his Facebook page on Wednesday.
01:30Yes, we got a big blow. Black River is what you would describe as ground zero.
01:36It took the brunt of it and the corridor through the south of St. Elizabeth, through Black River, going across the island, going into St. James.
01:47That corridor was totally damaged.
01:49But the recovery is not beyond us. It's not beyond the government. It's not beyond the people. And we will get it done.
01:55Prime Minister Passat-Basessa said she had spoken with Jamaica's Prime Minister on Wednesday morning.
02:01I want to thank you. I saw you out on the ground every single day.
02:05I want to give praise and thanks to Prime Minister Holmest and his government for Israel and Jamaica.
02:10And praise and thanks to the people of Trinidad and to be here. But now, stepping forward.
02:14An official statement said upon the instructions of Prime Minister Passat-Basessa, an inter-ministerial committee comprising ministers from key ministries had been established to coordinate national relief and support efforts for those affected by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica.
02:30The office of the Prime Minister said the committee will be coordinated by Foreign and Caracom Affairs Minister Sean Sobers.
02:35Today, coming out of Monday, we had a meeting on Tuesday again with the Honourable Prime Minister and that inter-ministerial committee.
02:43And then within 24 hours, at Point Lisas, we would have had several members, corporate entities, that began to send goods down to Point Lisas.
02:54Minister Amin would share some more information on that.
02:57The Prime Minister toured the facility today and upon arrival, well, prior to arrival, we had already loaded basically six containers, which will join two more that would leave the port this evening on its way for its first sailing to Jamaica.
03:13And we expect those goods to arrive in Jamaica on Sunday.
03:16The OPM said that through the High Commission of Trinidad and Tobago in Kingston, the government has contacted all Trinidad and Tobago nationals in Jamaica, including students, and confirmed that they are safe.
03:28We intend to continue these efforts as long as Jamaica requires it.
03:34If I'm not mistaken, we've also liaised with some aspects of Southcom so that they will provide us with some assistance to move personnel to Jamaica as well too.
03:45And every equipment as required, such as generators and water tanks and an advanced team from ODPM and the TTDF would be leaving to go to Jamaica, I believe, on Saturday morning.
04:02The OPM said members of the public are encouraged to contribute to non-perishable items with a shelf life of at least three months at any of the 14 municipal corporations across Trinidad or at TEMA facilities in Tobago from October 30th to November 4th between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
04:22Jewel Brown, TV6 News.
04:24The latest update coming out of Jamaica tonight is that the death toll now stands at 12 and it's feared that it will increase.
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