Ex-Servicemen Visited

A charitable organisation in the United Kingdom, the Royal Ex-Services Commonwealth League, made a visit to these shores last Monday February 27, 2006. {{more}}

Representing the organisation was Ex-Serviceman and Controller Welfare officer, Bert Moore MBE. In an interview with Searchlight at the V.I.P room at the E .T. Joshua airport, Moore highlighted that the league caters for elderly Ex-Servicemen and the widows of these men who served under the crown preindependence who live away from England. The league, which is the only of its kind in the United Kingdom, makes visits to each of the member organisations in the Caribbean and throughout the world at least once every three years.

Moore added that the organisation is not government funded and that they basically ask for donations. He said the league receives tremendous response when they ask for a helping hand. These elderly Servicemen are given grants to help them financially. He said that last year they helped over thirty three thousand persons throughout the world and mentioned that it was quite a remarkable number for a charitable organisation.

Vincentian Ex-Servicemen each receive EC$150 per month and another EC$175 from the Canadian Legion. As for the widows, they receive EC$50 from the local government and a further EC$75 from the Canadian legion respectively.

At present, there are four Ex-Servicemen and twelve widows who are part of the legion while over twenty Ex-servicemen in St. Vincent and the Grenadines are not a part of the legion.

Moore outlined that the Royal Canadian legion donated over $150,000 to fourteen Caribbean islands to support the Royal Ex-Servicemen and widows on behalf of the Royal Ex-Services Commonwealth league. He said that by year-end the Royal Canadian legion would be withdrawing their membership from the Royal Ex-Services Commonwealth league. However he noted that the organisation is still devoted to the task of assisting the Ex-servicemen and widows.