Barbadians have been promised access to about half a million millilitres of hand sanitizer free of cost – the result of a partnership involving communications executive Joy-Ann Haigh, drug-maker Carlisle Laboratories and entrepreneur Mark Maloney who foot the bill estimated at just under $50,000.
Over the past week, amid fears about the Coronavirus, COVID-19, Barbadians have bought out supplies of the much-needed product with most outlets now reporting that hand sanitisers are out of stock.
Haigh told Barbados TODAY: “The initiative only started like a week and a half ago and it came basically when I went to the supermarket and I saw that there was none. Seeing all of the panicking and so on and people flocking to supermarkets, I felt there was something I could do.
“So I approached Mr Peter Bourne, the owner of Collins Limited and Carlisle Laboratories, thanks for doing this because this is not normally done, to mix the product, and of course Mr Mark Maloney for paying to cover the cost.”
Members of the Barbados Defence Force were today busy packing the boxes of the locally made sanitizer, which Haigh said will first be distributed to vulnerable groups.
She said: “Members of the Barbados Defence Force – they will be recipients of some of this sanitizer; they are obviously on the front line and they are going to need some protection.
“Some of it will be going to the National Assistance Board where the caregivers under the Ministry of Elder Affairs certainly would want to be able to sanitise their hands when they are dealing with the elderly.
“We are conscious of the fact that our elderly persons are under the vulnerable category as well as the other persons with underlying issues.
“Some of this will also go to members of the Barbados Council of the Disabled.”
Haigh said today’s batch of sanitizer is just part of the full order for one million millilitres of the product.
She appealed to Corporate Barbados to get on board with a worthwhile initiative.
She said: “Until supplies are restored, they can continue to help finance the project so I am also asking people to call 836-4629 to see how we can get more hand sanitizer. We do need individuals that have the means to support such an exercise. Mr Maloney was the first person that came forward and it would be good if others can follow suit.
sandydeane@barbadostoday.bb
