Caribbean Community Secretary-General, Amb. Irwin LaRocque, has expressed “profound condolences” to the President of the French Republic, His Excellency Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron.
 
Referring to the recent passage of Hurricane Irma over the Overseas French Caribbean Territories of St. Barthelemy and in particular Saint Martin, the Secretary-General in a Message of Condolence said –
 
 “…the disruption, destruction and scenes of damage across the two territories left the Community gripped with compassion at the widespread loss of life and property”.
 
“The Community’s heartfelt sympathies and expressions of solidarity are extended to the people of St. Barthelemy and Saint Martin, particularly the bereaved families and wish a full and speedy recovery to the injured”, he also said.

Amb. La Rocque noted the high human, social, economic and environmental cost caused by the damage of such “super-storms”, and expressed the hope “that a full recovery can be made in the shortest possible time.”
 
The following is the text of the message

BEGINS:
 
Excellency
 
The Caribbean Community expresses profound condolences to the Government and People of the French Republic, in particular the people the Overseas French Caribbean Territories of St. Barthelemy and Saint Martin, who lost loved ones due to the passage of Hurricane Irma.
 
Excellency, the disruption, destruction and scenes of damage across the two territories left the Community gripped with compassion at the widespread loss of life and property.  The Community knows all too well the terrible effects of such super-storms and the damage that they cause, which carry a high human, social, economic and environmental cost.  We sincerely hope that a full recovery can be made in the shortest possible time.
 
The Community’s heartfelt sympathies and expressions of solidarity are extended to the people of St. Barthelemy and Saint Martin, particularly the bereaved families and wish a full and speedy recovery to the injured.
 
Excellency, please accept my best wishes for your territories as you navigate this difficult time.
 
                                                                                                                                         ENDS.