Regional, international aid significantly contribute to relief efforts in SVG

Many countries have come to the aid of St Vincent and the Grenadines in this time of need.{{more}}

Since the Christmas floods of 2013, countries in the region and beyond have contributed significantly to the relief efforts.

During a press conference last Thursday, at which the President of the Regional Council for Martinique Serge Letchimy was present, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves detailed some of the most recent gestures of assistance to St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“Next week on [January] 24, my brother Serge has indicated to me and it has been confirmed by the official from the French Embassy, that a vessel will be coming with some supplies from Barbados, a French vessel, to St Vincent, with substantial relief supplies,” Gonsalves said.

In his brief remarks, Letchimy stated that Martinique had provided St Vincent and the Grenadines and St Lucia with much needed supplies, following the natural disaster.

“We were able to send a container full of mattresses, water and dry food and I’m really happy to know that [what] we sent right after the bad weather was well used,” he said.

Gonsalves highlighted the arrival of an aircraft from Morocco, which visited the island last Wednesday, to deliver several truckloads of food, blankets, medicine and water.

The Prime Minister further noted that a vessel from Tank-Weld, Jamaica, arrived in the country last Thursday, with housing materials.

The Prime Minister added that the government has available “over EC$5 million worth of credit facilities here in St Vincent from suppliers of building materials” and that work on houses which have been affected will commence soon.(BK)