There were 1,331 people in emergency 72 shelters in St. Vincent and the Grenadines as of July 31, as a result of the passage of Hurricane Beryl four weeks earlier.
Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said on NBC Radio on Wednesday that 44 of those shelters are listed as government shelters and 28 are run by non-government entities.
“But we give them full support with food and everything,” he said of the shelters not operated by the government, adding that some of them were being run by churches.
He said there were 711 people in shelters on St. Vincent.
They are being housed at Kingstown Government School, JP Eustace Memorial Secondary School, Belmont Government School, Calliaqua Anglican Primary School, Calliaqua Town Hall, Bethel High School, Petit Bordel Secondary School, Sion Hill Ascension Church, Fair Hall Primary School and Barrouallie Emergency Shelter.
The prime minister said 52 people are in shelters in Bequia, 95 in Canouan, 44 in Mayreau and 429 in Union Island.
He said meals, bottled water, health care, “everything” is provided for the people in shelters.
Meanwhile, 21 people were in guest houses, Gonsalves said, adding that they are mainly elderly people.
He said that 95% of the cots in shelters have been replaced with mattresses and shelter managers were asked to store the cots for future use.
“The shelterees are allowed to take the mattress with them when they leave the shelters, but the cots remain,” Gonsalves said, adding that distribution of mattresses continues for people in private homes.
Has the government have a donate gut set up so people can give?
I had a conversation with a young man who worked with his father for several years in the construction industry in SVG.
I asked him if rebuilding homes with basements is a good idea and he explained the system can work, especially if you go down instead of going up in areas where there is no danger of flooding.
I believe the basement floor will cost less than the upper floor many people have presently.
I hope the people will consider this system when they start rebuilding.