The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) received a quantity of medical equipment and supplies and cash last Friday, August 26.{{more}}

The medical supplies were provided by Ethneel Von Schaik, a Vincentian national living in Arizona; and the sum of EC$3,500 by Premier Distributors.

Allison Smith-Sampson, representative from Premier Distributors said that the monetary contribution was the company’s way of living up to its corporate responsibility to assist the community wherever possible.

Last Friday’s cash donation brings the total contribution of Premier Distributors towards assisting victims of Hurricane Tomas last year and from the flood in April this year to EC$27,000; this in addition to the distribution of biscuits to displaced persons, in the immediate wake of Tomas. The funds were collected by the way of a fundraiser, Smith-Sampson explained.

The medical supplies were presented to NEMO by Senator Anesia Baptiste, on behalf of Von Schaik and the organization ‘We the people of SVG”, which she (Baptiste) heads.

“After the flood she (Von Schaik) indicated that she wanted to contribute in a charitable way to the people who had suffered,” Baptiste said.

The medical equipment, valued at US$1,500, consists of stethoscopes, laceration kits, hypodermic needles, specimen cups and bandages, and was made available through another organization ‘The Benevolent Health Care Organization’, with many of the donations being made by American citizens, Baptiste said.

Meanwhile, Michelle Forbes, Director of NEMO (Ag), expressed her gratitude to both entities for the donations received.

She particularly commended Premier Distributors for their continued commitment.

“Premier Distributors have been one of the few private corporate partners that NEMO has been working with since last year,” Forbes said.

She also thanked Von Schaik and all other persons living in the Diaspora for their contributions, saying that the “spirit and contribution from the Diaspora have been tremendous.”

She gave the assurance that the items will be properly inspected and will go to assist those who are in most need of it.

According to Forbes, 54 persons belonging to 13 families, all victims of the floods in April this year were still being housed in shelters at the Georgetown Community Centre and at the old site of the Georgetown School for Children with Special needs.