Melissa lessons spur Vaz’s call for stronger emergency communications

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister of Energy, Transport and Telecommunications Daryl Vaz has urged greater international support for resilient telecommunications and reliable emergency communications, pointing to Hurricane Melissa as a reminder that connectivity can mean the difference between life and death.

Delivering Jamaica’s policy statement at the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) Plenipotentiary Conference 2026 in Doha, Qatar, Vaz said the country’s experience underscored the need to strengthen communications infrastructure and provide alternative ways to stay connected during natural disasters.

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“Hurricane Melissa, a category five hurricane, the most catastrophic hurricane on record to hit Jamaica’s shores, would only be remembered for its devastation if we ignored its primary lesson – the lesson that reliable emergency communications, supported by resilient telecommunications infrastructure and alternative connectivity solutions, saves lives,” he said.