Jamaica and UK sign deal to fast-track post-Melissa reconstruction

Jamaica and the United Kingdom have signed a four-year partnership, beginning with a £10-million programme, to accelerate reconstruction following Hurricane Melissa, as a new report warns that weaknesses in the country's disaster response systems could undermine efforts to rebuild.

The agreement, signed on Sunday at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, will see both governments share the cost of the first-year programme, which will provide technical support to the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA).

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The partnership comes days after the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CAPRI) released its report, Higher Ground: Lessons from Hurricane Melissa for Resilience, Relief, and Recovery, which identified gaps in Jamaica's ability to turn disaster financing into timely assistance and restore essential services.