Commissioner of Broward County, Alexandra P. Davis (left); Former Mayor of Broward County, Dale Holness (centre); and Jacqueline Knight, Project Director for Communications and Stakeholder Engagement at the Agro-Investment Corporation, smile for a photo opportunity with relief supplies destined to support Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts. The supplies arrived in Jamaica from Florida, United States, on Tuesday, November 11, through a strategic partnership between the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining’s Agro-Investment Corporation and Broward County, with support from the Florida Panthers Sports Foundation, Experience Aviation, and other U.S.-based and diaspora partners. Distribution will take place from the AXIS Industrial Park in Twickenham Park, St Catherine.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, through the Agro-Investment Corporation (Agro-Invest), in partnership with the Broward County Board of County Commissioners in Florida, has carried out a coordinated relief effort to support Jamaica’s agricultural communities severely affected by Hurricane Melissa.

The first mission, comprising up to 50,000 pounds of relief cargo, arrived in Jamaica from Opa-Locka, Florida, United States, on Tuesday, November 11. Airlift operations were facilitated by Jamaica-born Captain Barrington Irving, world-renowned aviator and founder of Experience Aviation, and his team via a Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

Supplies included generators, non-perishable food items, baby care essentials, personal hygiene products, and bottled water. All relief items were successfully delivered and secured by Agro-Invest, which will serve as the on-the-ground coordinating agency for the distribution of supplies across the most affected agricultural zones and community partners.

The initiative was led by Broward County Commissioner Alexandra P. Davis, who mobilised support from the Florida Panthers Sports Foundation, Experience Aviation, and other US-based and diaspora partners. The partnership highlighted the longstanding relationship between Jamaica and the South Florida diaspora community.

Mr Vivion Scully, Chief Executive Officer of Agro-Invest, welcomed the partnership, noting its importance to the nation’s agricultural resilience.

“This collaboration represented the strength of our global community and the deep ties between Jamaica and its diaspora. We are grateful to Commissioner Davis, Captain Barrington Irving, and all partners for their commitment to helping Jamaica recover stronger,” he stated.

The items were officially labelled under Broward County Commissioner Alexandra P. Davis and processed for local distribution from AXIS Industrial Park, Twickenham Park, St Catherine. Commissioner Davis, who was raised in Jamaica, expressed heartfelt concern for those affected by the storm.

“Everybody survived, but they were traumatised. They have many needs. It’s not just a natural disaster, it’s a humanitarian effort that’s needed now,” she said. “Through this partnership, we are committed to helping rebuild lives and livelihoods, especially within Jamaica’s farming and rural communities,” she added.

This partnership with the Agro-Investment Corporation reflects a shared mission to restore productivity to Jamaica’s agriculture sector and ensure that affected farmers and rural communities receive timely support throughout the recovery process.

The relief effort forms part of Broward County’s broader Caribbean outreach initiative, which includes coordinated donations across multiple County facilities and the involvement of organisations such as the Broward County Office of Emergency Management, Florida Division of Emergency Management, and Broward County Public Schools.
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