The Mustique Charitable Trust donates EC$1 million to relief effort

The Mustique Charitable Trust has donated EC$1 million to the post flood disaster relief effort.{{more}}

The trust presented the cheque to Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves at Cabinet Room on Friday, January 31, 2013.

In accepting the donation Prime Minister Gonsalves highlighted the importance of Mustique to St Vincent and the Grenadines, noting that Mustique annually contributes to the national economy approximately EC$100,000,000. Dr Gonsalves said the Mustique Company also employs approximately 1,000 Vincentians. He said the Mustique Company faithfully complies with the law and revealed that the Government has received immense assistance from home owners in Mustique in areas of agriculture, health and more.

Roger Pritchard, CEO of Mustique Company said the Mustique Charitable Trust has raised over EC$6 million primarily to assist disadvantaged citizens of St Vincent and the Grenadines since August 2008. Pritchard noted that the trust is involved in numerous educational projects. The Mustique Company’s CEO, said the response to the Christmas Eve floods was almost immediate; and the sum of EC$1 million was raised by guests, home owners and friends of Mustique in an effort to assist people affected by the disaster. He further disclosed that Marco Sodi, a home owner’s son swam from Bequia to Mustique on December 29, 2014 and raised EC$75,000.00 for this cause. The CEO indicated that UK Minister, Allan Duncan, who was a guest on the island at the time, pledged $500,000.00 from the UK government towards the relief effort. He thanked the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines and NEMO for the work they have been doing so far on the road to recovery.

Lavinia Gunn of the Mustique Charitable Trust stated that the Mustique Company will be working closely with the relevant ministries here and NEMO to identify suitable projects, some of which will place focus on young people – including challenged teenagers, and rebuilding sustainable communities. The Mustique Charitable Trust continues to raise funds to go towards the relief effort here.