A cheque for $125,000 for the relief effort was handed over to Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves on Wednesday; proceeds from a day long radio-thon staged by the state owned National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC).{{more}}
According to Theresa Daniel, the Deputy Chair of the Board at NBC, the staff and management felt it was their corporate responsibility to give back in the nationâs time of need.
NBC Radio was joined by seven of the countryâs other radio stations for the January 5 radio-thon which received pledges amounting to EC$150,309.01, according to Daniel, making it a very successful endeavour.
âWe were pretty surprised by the robust response of the public,â she said.
Daniel added that she was very confident that the remaining pledges would be honoured.
The Prime Minister in his response said that $125,000 was a good sum – in light of the significant amounts of monies that would have to be paid out to those still residing in shelters, or those dependent on the Government for the basic necessities.
He explained that there were 175 people still being housed in shelters and that it was estimated it would require $2.4 million to keep these families sustained while they are being housed there and for others in communities who may still need some assistance.
According to Gonsalves, it was of great importance that the help get to those who were in most need of it.
He said the plan was to move quickly to get the houses which have minimal damage fixed and then move on to those with major damage and then to those which have been destroyed.
âThe sooner we get those fixed up and for persons who need fridges and stoves and we get those back in, the less we will obviously have to spend on the shelters and also on providing food for people in communities,â Gonsalves said. (DD)
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