WINFA receives Hurricane relief from Canada

The Windward Island Farmers Association (WINFA) has received a cheque for EC$123,327.59 from the Canadian Government, through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI), to support an upcoming project in Dominica, which will provide assistance to banana farmers who have been affected by hurricane Dean.{{more}}

In handing over the cheque, Counsellor (Political and Economic Affairs and Public Relations) for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Doug Holland said the CFLI is a small project mechanism that provides grants for projects to the NGO sector and community based organization, and also gives priority to projects that promote human rights, democracy and good governance.

Coordinator of WINFA Renrick Rose in accepting the cheque on behalf of his organization said that two main areas that the project will be concentrating on are: providing school books and transportation for children and to help out farmers with small crops and the rearing of livestock.

“While the banana farmers are replanting, they have to wait for nine months for the bananas to mature before they can be harvested, at least they would be able to engage in these smaller projects and would be able to earn some much needed cash, “ Rose stated.

According to him, a national committee is set up in Dominica and will be responsible for the implementation of the project. He also highlighted that this project is not anything new to them, given that they have worked on several projects before this one and currently they are working on projects in both Dominica and St. Lucia.

The project will provide assistance to farmers in the communities of Calibishie, the Carib Territory and Grandbay.

The Canadian Government, through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), has pledged Cnd$800,000 to St. Lucia and Dominica in disaster relief funding, following the passage of Hurricane Dean.

The support will be given in areas of agriculture, roof repairs, and the replenishment of emergency supplies, hunger relief and general rehabilitation.