Cayman soldiers returned last weekend after two weeks as part of a multi-national military team working to repair Jamaican homes ravaged by last year’s Hurricane Melissa – their first operational overseas deployment.
The troops touched down in George Town on Saturday, 28 Feb. and said they were glad to be home, as well as proud to have made a difference to people who had lost almost everything in last October’s Category 5 hurricane, one of the worst on record.
Cato Lee, originally from Jamaica, said, “It was a privilege going to help with the reconstruction of homes and shops, especially for the women and children … There was a sense of pride in assisting the Jamaica community.
“I am very proud and honoured to wear this uniform, most definitely.”
The troops were based in St. Elizabeth Parish, in the southwest of Jamaica, one of the hardest-hit areas, and worked extensively in and around the coastal town of Black River.
Lee added, “Every time the people saw us out, they thanked us and showed their appreciation, shook our hands and thanked us for our service. They were amazed that we’d come so far to assist.”
The self-employed engineer from West Bay said, “The damage was worse than I expected. In Black River everything was down and a lot of homes can’t be repaired.
“They will have to be demolished completely. It was mind-boggling. A lot of old people had been affected as well.”
Michael Rhoden, 28, who works for insurance firm CG Britcay, said, “People were really excited to see that we reached out from different nations to help them.”
Massive damage
The eight-strong Cayman Island Regiment contingent, which worked alongside the Jamaican Defence Force, as well as troops from Bermuda, Turks and Caicos, Ghana and the Bahamas, concentrated on replacing roofs, many of which had been ripped away by the ferocity of the storm.
The Cayman troops included soldiers with valuable skills, including Andre Williams, a carpenter.
Kevin Lester, 50, from George Town, also Jamaican-born and an air conditioning technician in civilian life, said, “I was surprised by the scale of the damage.
“We mainly focused on the roofs – 90% of the houses were severely damaged. We managed to repair 10 homes in the area over the two weeks.”
Alphando Bushea, 40, who works in maintenance, added, “I saw what was in the media and the scale of the storm, but to go and see it eyes on, it gave you trauma.
“Black River was devastated. You could see miles and miles of damage and all those people were glad to see us.
“Everyone was showing their gratitude, that sense of feeling that someone was there to care for them.”
Making a difference
Shannon Arteaga, 31, said nothing could have prepared the Cayman contingent for the scale of the devastation they saw.
He added, “You see it on TV, but you can’t really believe it until you see it with your own eyes.”
But he said, “It made a big difference. If you saw the faces, the reaction on the faces of those families when they saw their new roofs … I would do it all again.”
Arteaga, from Bodden Town, added it was “very important” that Caymanian troops experienced working with the armed services other UK overseas territories and other countries.
“Some of the soldiers didn’t even know Cayman had a regiment,” he said. “It was good way of showing we’re here and here to stay.”
Arteaga added, “We’re ready. The experience we had down there will be very useful if Cayman is ever hit by a major hurricane.”
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