Belizean Students Pick Up Semester Where They Left Off

One week after Hurricane Melissa devastated parts of Jamaica, Belizean students are beginning to resume their studies. For now, they are attending online classes until universities are ready to reopen for face-to-face sessions. All Belizean students are reported safe and accounted for.

Bernard Pitts, President of the Belize Students Association of Jamaica (BELSAJ), told News 5 that, “For the most part, they [Belizean students] are settling back in. They are pretty much okay. We’re glad for the relief that the government has sent for us. We’ve had a total of about 75 to 100 packages, which we have processed already, and we’ll be giving each student their packages.”

He added that first- and second-year students were still adjusting and that the University of the West Indies has provided safe spaces, psychosocial support, and flexible online classes to help them cope.

Pitts said that while the goods packages have been helpful, many students are still facing financial strains caused by the storm.

“I’ve been hearing from some of them that perhaps some financial assistance would help because they have expended more than their budgetary budget could have maintained because they had to get prepared, and they had to be travelling,” he said.

Pitts said the students plan to share some of the relief packages they received with those in need in Jamaica. He added, “We also want to ask the Belize public, if they can, for whatever help they can give or send to Jamaica for those who have been affected… those people would really appreciate it.”

Melissa landed on Jamaica on October 28 as a historic category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph. The storm caused at least 67 deaths and tens of billions of dollars of overall damage throughout the Caribbean, according to the latest reports.

The death toll in Jamaica has reached 32, according to a report delivered by Education Minister Dana Morris Dixon on Monday. Haiti recorded a total of 34 deaths, and the Dominican Republic reported 1 death.

Cuban authorities did not report any fatalities; however, they indicated that approximately 700,000 individuals were evacuated, while hundreds of others experienced flooding and incurred damages.

“All of Jamaica is going through this period of mourning and this period of pain,” Dixon said on Monday.