St. George’s, Grenada – Wednesday 11th October, 2017: The National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA) has been extremely busy over the past three weeks engaging in relief activities all geared at assisting our brothers and Sisters in the countries affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Achieving many feats embarked upon, NaDMA through collaborations with a number of businesses and private citizens were able to successfully deliver much needed relief items to the British Virgin Islands and Dominica respectively.

Grenada boasts of being the first Caribbean country to deliver containers of water and other essential products to Dominica mere days after the passage of Hurricane Maria, through support from Real Value IGA, Bryden and Minors, Grenada Bottling Company, Norris James Company Ltd, Tropical Shipping, and Geest Lines together with a number of local organizations and groups who responded selflessly to the call for help.

On Thursday 28th September, 2017 through support by Grenlec and Spice Island Fish Shop we were able to send off two 20 foot containers to Tortola and Dominica, and on Friday 6th October a 40 ft Container was again sent to Dominica.

Notable recognition is also given to L.A. Purcel for a shipment of Lumber valued at USD $22,000 from Guyana to be delivered directly to Dominica.

In addition, through the support of Farmers, MNIB, Her Majesty’s Prisons and other ordinary citizens we were able to send 7051lbs of fresh fruits and vegetables to the Dominican People on Friday 29th September, 2017 via a Military Cargo Aircraft from Venezuela. A second request was also honored on Sunday when a private aircraft delivered over 600 lbs of food and critically needed medicines.

At the beginning of this relief drive, the public was notified that the Government of Grenada’s Relief Fund account was activated at the Grenada Cooperative Bank. To date the General Public has selflessly donated over $60,000 to that account, with an additional $60,000 donated by the Chinese here in Grenada. Government has further donated 1.7 million dollars; $500,000 to Cuba, $500,000 to Dominica, $300,000 to Tortola, $200,000 to Anguilla and $200,000 to Barbuda.

Grenadians through the relief efforts of donating food, water, non-perishable items, etc have donated in excess of 1million dollars to the affected islands.

In our most recent delivery of aid, LIAT offered to deliver 70 cases of water together with 8 boxes of pampers to the people of Dominica.

In the next two weeks we will be shipping another 20 foot container to Dominica and is encouraging the General Public to donate items that will assist the many families displaced in the Hurricane ravaged islands.

In addition, to aid delivered, a group of 10 young people attached to the Youth Emergency Action Council (YEAC) departed Grenada Wednesday 4th October for St. Lucia where they will be engaged in the coordinating of relief efforts for Dominica. They will later join the team of 15 RSS officers already in Dominica together with relief workers from the MBIA and DIGICEL teams who are assisting with recovery efforts.

Our presence was not just limited to Dominica, we have had a two man team in Tortola; Mr. Sylvan McIntyre and Terrence Walters who have been engaged in relief operations in Tortola for the past three weeks have since returned to Grenada. Two teams from GRENLEC are presently on the islands of Anguilla and Tortola assisting with recovery operations.

NaDMA takes this opportunity to extend a heartfelt thank you to the businesses, the general public, volunteers, schools, donors and organizations who have made this Relief drive the success it has been and continue to be.

The public is encouraged to continue making financial donations, to the account activated at the Grenada Cooperative Bank, Acct. #: 121004900. And donations of food, water and non-perishable items at the various collection points throughout the island.

Your support is greatly appreciated.

For additional information, please contact NaDMA on 440-8390-4 & 440-0838, or email: nadma@spiceisle.com and nadmapr@gmail.com . NaDMA, the official source for all disaster related information in Grenada.