A delegation comprising two Ministers of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Government and three technicians is expected to visit several of the hurricane-affected islands to meet with Vincentians to better structure further recovery assistance.
Minister of Agriculture Saboto Caesar, who will be a member of the delegation, said in a Facebook post on Tuesday that he and Minister of Economic Development, Camillo Gonsalves, will make the trip.
Caesar said that as part of SVG’s contribution to the recovery of the islands affected by the passage of Hurricane Irma last week, a boat will leave Port Kingstown on Friday, Sept. 15 to take food and other supplies to the British Virgin Islands (BVI).
He said that persons interested in sending supplies to their families and friends are asked to ensure that these are brought to national collection points, which are to be announced, or at the Geest Shed no later than Thursday, Sept. 14, at 3 p.m.
“There will be no charge for the transportation of these supplies to the BVI. All packages must be properly labelled. No meats or live plants will be permitted,” Ceasar said.
“Persons with family members in the BVI and other affected islands who are incapacitated in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma wishing to obtain information on possible assistance for returning to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, can do so by calling the following number:
1784-434-4955,” the minister said.
Caesar, who is parliamentary representative for South Central Windward, said that the South Central Windward Producers Co-operative will be collecting names of skilled construction workers who wish to volunteer or be employed in the reconstruction efforts in Anguilla, Barbuda, BVI and USVI.
Persons are asked to bring along a valid passport for interview at the Sans Souci Learning Resource Centre from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. from today, Wednesday to Friday, Sept. 15.
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States said on Tuesday that on its way to the BVI, the vessel will stop in St. Lucia.
Persons in St. Lucia interested in sending supplies to their families and friends are asked to drop them off at the NEMO headquarters in St. Lucia with proper labelling by 3 p.m. on Thursday.
There will be no charge for transporting the items to the BVI, but, as obtains in St. Vincent, all packages must be properly labelled and no meats or live plants will be permitted.