ST JAMES, Jamaica —  Co-founder of the BREDS Treasure Beach Foundation, Jason Henzell, says the community’s approach to disaster recovery and resilience is attracting regional attention and serving as a model for other Caribbean communities.

Addressing the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) Community Fun Day at the BREDS Treasure Beach Sports Park in St Elizabeth on July 23, Henzell said the community’s experience recovering from hurricanes Beryl and Melissa has demonstrated the value of strong partnerships and community-driven development.

“There are a lot of other countries around the Caribbean that are also having disaster risk management conferences. I was invited to one in Trinidad a few weeks ago, which I attended, and they’re using Treasure Beach as a model of community development and how an active NGO [non-governmental organisation] can partner with others to build back,” he said.