SVG to host 500 medical students from hurricane affected countries

An influx of about 500 medical students from Dominica and Anguilla into St Vincent and the Grenadines is expected in the coming weeks.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, in a call to the ‘Shake Up’ programme on We FM yesterday, said about 400 medical students from the All Saints University in Dominica are expected to be relocated here to continue their medical education, consequent upon the destruction wrought by Hurricane Maria on that island.

He said the students are of varying nationalities, with most of them being Nigerians, and arrangements to house them are being made by the All Saints University campus here in St Vincent.

The Prime Minister estimated that the students will be here for about six months.

Another 70 students and five faculty are expected from the St James University in Anguilla, which also suffered widespread destruction from Hurricane Irma. These students will continue their training at the Arnos Vale campus of St James University here.

“Those medical schools will make the arrangements for accommodation and I expect they will be hiring many apartment buildings and the like,” the Prime Minister said.

He also disclosed that between 30 and 50 people from the British Virgin Islands (BVI) have already entered the country, since the destruction of that territory three weeks ago. The Prime Minister said some of the children among this group are already in school, while others are in the process of being placed in a school.

Dominica was hit on September 18 by Category 5 Hurricane Maria, while Anguilla and the BVI were struck by Category 5 Hurricane Irma between September 5 and 6.

Food, water, housing, electricity, telecommunications and the road network have been severely impaired. (CB)