…some 83 Guyanese to return home 

TWO  more containers with relief supplies are expected to leave these shores today for Antigua and Barbuda for distribution among the Caribbean islands hard  hit by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, even as Guyana prepares to fly 83 of its citizens back home.A container of dressed lumber is also on standby to be shipped to Dominica as the Private Sector continues to answer the call. Minister of State Joseph Harmon said the government with overwhelming support from the private sector has been providing much needed relief to those devastated by the recent series of hurricanes in the Region. To date, 11 containers have been shipped to Antigua and Barbuda, and in some cases Dominica with millions of dollars worth of relief supplies.

“Specifically, 29,000 pounds of disaster relief was air shipped to Antigua, nine containers have been packed, and another two would have been packed by the end of today, bringing it to a total of 11 40-foot containers that would have been sent to the territories of Dominica, and Antigua, (and) Barbuda,” Minister Harmon explained while addressing reporters at the Ministry of the Presidency on Friday. He said once the relief supplies arrive in Antigua and Barbuda, they will be distributed to the other territories ravaged by the spate of hurricanes. The items include water, food and medical supplies. The first six containers had approximately $20 million worth of relief supplies while the second batch of containers was valued at $18M.

Seaboard Marine and Tropical Shipping has been assisting government with the shipping arrangements, Minister Harmon noted, even as he used the opportunity to thank the companies for their support and the private sector by extension. “We were advised yesterday (Thursday) afternoon that a company called Bulkan Timber Works had actually packed a container of dressed lumber to go to Dominica. So this has basically kick started the second phase of the operation, the rebuilding phase,” he further noted. Other companies, the Minister of State said, have indicated their willingness to  assist with the rebuilding process.

In addition to the relief supplies provided by the private sector, the government had pledged an initial sum of US$100,000 to the affected countries through the regional disaster response mechanism, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDEMA).By the end of the week, the government with support from the private sector will commence the repatriation of 83 Guyanese, who have expressed their desire to return home from three affected territories – Dominica, British Virgin Islands (BVI) and Barbuda. Those Guyanese will be flown to Guyana by Jags Aviation Inc.,  Roraima Airways, Fly Jamaica Airways, Air Services Limited, Hopkinson Mining Aviation and Trans Guyana Airways.  “So far arrangements have been made for the flying home of the remains of Mr. Derek Ragnauth, the deceased and two of his family members. That aircraft will take cargo as well, and will deposit that cargo in Antigua and on its way back, will also pick up another six passengers,” Minister Harmon said. The first flight is expected to arrive in Guyana this weekend from the British Virgin Islands.

Government has been working on providing identification documents for those who may have lost them during the storms. Questioned on  what mechanism is in place to cater for those persons who may not have a place to stay upon their return to Guyana, Minister Harmon said most of the affected Guyanese will be accommodated by their Guyanese relatives. “We will deal with each of these cases on a case by case basis, and from the information we have gathered on the ground in the territories where these persons are, we have been able to determine that a large number of those persons who are coming back, will be coming home to relatives.

For those who have not indicated that they have relatives, we are still working at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Citizenship to ensure that we can find relatives for them,” Minister Harmon said. If government is unable to locate relatives for the remaining few, accommodation will be provided at several facilities. “Now these facilities as I did indicate are basically at the Hugo Chavez Centre and there are some facilities provided by the Guyana Relief Council.

”However, he emphasized that every person or family will be dealt with based on their specific needs. Asked too about financial support, Minister Harmon said: “You can be assured that government will be lending as much assistance as necessary to ensure that they are comfortable once they are brought back.