SVG donates $100,000 to Dominica from benefit concert

The Government of Dominica has received $100,000 from the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines, in support of rebuilding the island.

The funds were raised at a fund-raising concert, which took place in St Vincent and the Grenadines last November.{{more}}

At a ceremony on Thursday, February 11, cultural ambassador of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Rondy McIntosh, known as the performer Luta, made the presentation on behalf of the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

He remarked, “I can clearly remember in August 2015 I was somewhere on tour in Haiti and social media started blowing up. I was wondering what was going on in Dominica. Having visited Dominica, I started calling people and asking what is going on and when the pictures started to come in, I realized the magnitude of what was happening. At that point I could have related to it, because in 2013 we had our own incident in St Vincent. We are not a rich country by any stretch of the imagination, but we are a good Caribbean neighbour. I believe that throughout the region we must all stand with each other.”

McIntosh was elated by the support for the concert.

He added, “That concert turned out to be one of the biggest we ever had in St Vincent and that is the kind of outpouring we had for our sister country, Dominica. We had all the top local artistes at that concert. Out of Jamaica, we had Mr Vegas, T.O.K. and Sizzler, to name a few.

“So, this morning, I am here to say Dominica, we are here with you and any support that you need please reach out to us. We will help in whatever ways we can.”

Health professionals were dispatched from St Vincent and the Grenadines to assist Dominica right after the storm.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Senator Francine Baron applauded the efforts of the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States for aiding Dominica after the last year’s storm.

She said, “We did not have to call on them; they called. They said you were with us when disaster struck us and we are with you now. We will help you, Dominica. This is a testament of true friendship and solidarity and proof of our OECS unity.”

Baron noted that infrastructure rehabilitation commenced in a timely manner, due to the quick response of the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines, who had Bailey bridges in storage after their own brush with natural disasters two years ago.

“Because of the generosity of the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines, we were able to place bridges to the damaged areas along the west coast at Point Ronde, Batalie, and Macoucherie. This allowed us to restore vehicular access to the west coast in record time.

“From this allotment, we were also able to establish a bridge at Boetica. We will always be eternally grateful to the Government and the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines for their assistance. The people of the St Vincent and the Grenadines did not stop there, however; on the initiative of the then Minister of Foreign Affairs Camillo Gonsalves, Invest SVG joined forces with the youth of St Vincent and the Grenadines to host a benefit concert to raise funds for the people of Dominica who were affected by the storm.”(GIS of Dominica)