The Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda, chaired by Prime Minister Gaston Browne, has pledged support for Jamaica and Cuba following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.

At its weekly meeting, Cabinet received updates on Antiguan and Barbudan students studying in both countries.

Prime Minister Browne reported that 53 students in Jamaica were safely housed at the Pegasus Hotel in Kingston during the storm, with government-funded accommodation provided for a week while essential services were restored.

The students are expected to return to classes on Monday, 3 November.

Cabinet members expressed relief that all nationals were unharmed and extended condolences to families of those who lost loved ones.

In a show of regional solidarity, Antigua and Barbuda will send medical supplies, military personnel, and APUA linesmen to assist with recovery operations in the hardest-hit areas of Jamaica and Cuba.

Hurricane Melissa, a Category Five storm, caused severe flooding, power outages, and widespread destruction across several Caribbean islands.

Officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Health, along with the Antigua Public Utilities Authority, are finalising logistics for the humanitarian deployment.