Jamaican Ministry of Foreign Affairs have been monitoring events in Fort McMurray Alberta and have reported “All 300 Jamaicans accounted for and well”

Our best wishes go out for the broken lives caused by the devastation that has wreaked on the lives of the residents of Fort McMurray whose lives have been shattered by out of control flames which have been raging for countless hours and days.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Minister Johnson Smith have been monitoring events there in Canada and have reported “All 300 Jamaicans accounted for and well” a Foreign Ministry release has stated.

This emergency is a catastrophe of monumental proportions. We would say “The Mother of all fires” … like a plague has descended on helpless souls. We understand that all 300 Jamaicans living there are accounted for and well. We reach out to our Canadian friends who equally suffered.

We watched with bated breath as the fire spread torching homes and shattering dreams. It pained our hearts.

We never abandon our own where ever you are on this globe.

Vision reaches out to those who have suffered losses and reminds that “with life everything else is possible”.

Like the proverbial Phoenix you will rise up from the ashes.

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie is Senior International Correspondent & Photojournalist for Vision Newspaper Canada.