Chris Gayle to assist hurricane-ravaged communities

Cricket superstar turned recording artiste Chris Gayle is making plans to assist Jamaicans devastated by Hurricane Melissa, which left families in several parishes struggling in its aftermath.

The 'Universe Boss' says he felt compelled to take action for the communities that have continuously shown him love throughout his career.

"Well the hurricane affected so many people close to me and it was just a few years ago I had a cricket tournament in St Elizabeth with Brian Lara and the people showed tremendous love to us and the game of cricket," Gayle recalled. Gayle said he was deeply moved by the stories of loss emerging from the storm.

"Well coming from a humble background with little resources, I can identify with the people who lost everything and I was very saddened and deeply remorseful for them," he said. Gayle, who is in India, plans to travel home soon.

"When I return to Jamaica I plan to visit the worst affected areas of the island and give out care packages. I expect that the people will gladly receive the assistance," he said. In addition to his hands-on outreach, Gayle has pledged money and is seeking support from his global network.

"I'm committed to help with millions of Jamaican dollars in aid and I'm hoping to get much more assistance from my colleagues, associates and friends," he said. The Chris Gayle Foundation - recognised for its youth and community development initiatives - is coordinating the response with trusted partners on the ground.

"Well, in everything I do, I have my team on the ground in Jamaica ... and I trust them to make an assessment and execute to those in need. My Chris Gayle Foundation has been around for years and my team has always executed our philanthropic efforts well," he said.

Gayle said that even outside of disasters, service to others is part of his responsibility as a public figure.

"As public figures, we have to set an example so that the younger ones in sports and entertainment know how to act when these disasters affect our nation," he said.

To broaden the reach of the mission, Gayle has also launched a GoFundMe initiative, which "will encourage and empower other people to donate to the hurricane relief efforts in Jamaica because my name and my brand is trusted and credible".