–first shipment with emergency supplies expected to leave today
–Guyana waiting to hear specific needs of Guyanese in St. Vincent

By Vishani Ragobeer

MASSIVE support has been organised locally for the Caribbean island of St. Vincent that has been thrown into a state of emergency following the eruption of the volcano, La Soufrière there.
“We’re trying to get at least 350 tonnes of items, and then during the course of the week, we are going to send more items,” President Ali highlighted on the sidelines of an event on Monday.
The supplies organised for the country include water, sanitation supplies, hygiene products and food items. The President emphasised that continuous support will be provided to the country, as efforts in collaboration with the private sector will continue.
This first shipment of supplies will be transported on board the vessel, ‘Miss Meena’. Before the supplies were loaded onto the vessel on Monday, President of the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), Rafeek Khan told this newspaper that the Private Sector was able to raise about $8M in cash, and about five container-loads of cargo, including food, sanitation and hygiene supplies.

“I am deeply touched and moved by the generosity here in Guyana, and from the Private Sector,” Khan said. He, however, noted that the relief organised for this first shipment was drawn primarily from people and businesses in Georgetown and Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), given the speed at which the relief was organised. As such, he called on more Guyanese to contribute to subsequent shipments to the Caribbean island.
Sukhdeo Chutkhan, owner of the ‘Miss Meena’, the vessel that will be transporting the supplies to St. Vincent, told the Guyana Chronicle that its maximum capacity is 350 tonnes. The ship, which is manned by six crew members, will also be taking several members of the local Coast Guard to St. Vincent. He mentioned that he opted to lend his ship to the local relief efforts since he was asked by President Ali to do so.

“I’m willing to help anytime they’re ready; I want the people of St. Vincent to know that we’re here to help,” Chutkhan said.
Meanwhile, Captain of the vessel, Randolph Kamarang said that he and his crew are ready to set sail and complete their mission of transporting the supplies to the island. When asked if he has any reservations about travelling to the volcano-hit island, Captain Kamarang said that he’d sailed the Caribbean Sea after the volcanic eruption in Montserrat in 1997, and as such, he’s not daunted by the task.

HELP FOR GUYANESE

Head of the newly-established Diaspora Unit at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ms. Rosalinda Rasul explained that this initial shipment will be given to the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to distribute to all affected persons.

She, however, has been in contact with the Honorary Consul of Guyana to St. Vincent & Grenadines to ascertain what help is needed for the Guyanese on the island who have been affected. According to information received from the Consul, Guyanese on the island are only now starting to come forward and engage the body.

On Monday evening, the Foreign Affairs Ministry issued a notice, advising all Guyanese affected by ongoing volcanic eruptions in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to make urgent contact with Nigel Russell, Honorary Consul of Guyana to St. Vincent and the Grenadines or Rasul.

Russell can be contacted via 784-453-1222 (office) and 784-526-5159 (mobile/WhatsApp), or via his email: nigelrussell612017@gmail.com and newguyanasvg@gmail.com. Meanwhile, the Diaspora Unit, Protocol and Consular Affairs Department can be contacted on: 592-226-1606; 592-226-1608, ext: 249, 342, 326, 279 or via WhatsApp on 592-619-0734.
Once the affected Guyanese on the island make contact with the body in St. Vincent, Rasul said that a list will be made of all the supplies needed, and the local authorities will organise those supplies and send to the group in a subsequent shipment.

The volcano erupted at 08:41hrs on Friday, after the government on Thursday night issued an evacuation notice for persons living in the Red Zone, which is in the northernmost part of the island where the volcano is located. This evacuation order was issued following an increase in seismic activity, indicating that the volcano would erupt soon. The Red Zone at reference is said to be “the danger zone”, along with the Orange Zone (the section just south of the Red Zone).
News 784 in St. Vincent and the Grenadines reported that Geologist and Professor Richard Robertson said that more explosions are expected soon, and that the first one was not the biggest.

“If there is a much bigger explosion, the ash can spread further [sic] to the south. This could continue for days or weeks, and monitoring will continue,” News 784 quoted Robertson as saying.

It was also reported that after the initial explosion, it is likely that others will occur. Later, on Friday afternoon, at 14:45hrs and then at 18:35hrs, other eruptions were recorded. At 05:00hrs on Saturday, yet another eruption was recorded. Videos posted on social media by residents of St. Vincent showed ash spreading to communities, covering buildings and surfaces. On Saturday, Barbados Today reported that the ash had spread to Barbados.
Amid the unfolding natural disaster in St. Vincent, a number of other countries within CARICOM have also affirmed their assistance to the Vincentian Prime Minister and his people.