Anguilla Assisting Grenada

The Anguilla Government and the private sector have joined the rest of the region in contributing to the relief and recovery efforts being made to assist the people of Grenada following the devastation by Hurricane Ivan. The Spice Island took a severe pounding from the hurricane which left a trail of destruction and death in its wake.

The assistance from Anguilla was preceded by a message of sympathy to the Government and people of Grenada from Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming. He was “saddened by the loss of life of our brothers and sisters and the scale of the destruction of private homes, public properties and businesses.”

His message further stated: “Given our recent history of disasters following the passage of Hurricane Luis and Lenny, the people of Anguilla can empathize with our brothers and sisters in Grenada. All citizens are therefore urged to pray for the Government and people of Grenada in this their hour of need.”

The Government, a number of business places, churches and various organisations on the island quickly began to make plans to contribute to the relief and recovery efforts in Grenada.

On Thursday the Government sent an initial contribution of emergency and other supplies, packed in two 20-foot containers, to the suffering island . The items included 1,230 cases of water and a quantity of fruit juices, soft drinks, rice and other dry goods.

A third 20-foot container was secured by the Chief Minister’s Office for use by businesses, service clubs, other organisations and individuals desirous of sending supplies to Grenada. This container, like the others, was packed by workmen from Pat’s Trucking, without charge ,and was overseen by Past Chairman of the Anguilla Red Cross Committee and former Permanent Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office, Elvet Hughes.

The containers were shipped to Grenada by Tropical Shipping Company. The Caribbean Commercial Bank, in agreement with the Chief Minister’s Office, undertook to pay the freight charges.

As stated elsewhere in this paper, the Cable and Wireless Business Unit in Anguilla, responded early by providing technical assistance for the mobile service in Grenada and some food supplies for colleagues in that island.