The three Rotary clubs of Barbados are committed to continued relief support for Volcano-ravished St Vincent and The Grenadines which has lost about fifty per cent of its productive land space to ash fall.
The service organisations, Rotary Club of Barbados, Rotary Club of Barbados West and Rotary Club of Barbados South, began mobilising support hours after the April 9 eruption.
The eruption and continuing ash fall left most of the residents without access to potable water and reduced their supplies of food. An estimated 20 000 persons are in shelters.
President of Rotary Club of Barbados Fiona Hinds announced an immediate shipment of 20,000 bottles of water manufactured by Glacial Ice was sent to St. Vincent as well as 17 gas stoves, six compressor nebulisers and five transformers.
President of Rotary Club of Barbados West Trevor Williams said in addition to the dire need for water the clubs sent an immediate cash donation of US$5,000 and a follow-up cash contribution was expected to be made in a couple of weeks.
Justin St John, chief executive officer of Glacial Ice, said the company contacted Joe Steinbock hours after the eruption which led to plans with the Rotary clubs to send the 56 pallets of water to the stricken island. The water manufacturer offered the product to the three clubs at a concessional rate.
“The response from Barbadians has been amazing. It has shown that Barbadians care and they have reached out in some many ways to help those in St Vincent,” Hinds said.
She said every cent donated for the St Vincent relief project goes into a separate trust and will be used solely for the purpose of supporting that island.
“We recognise that whenever there is a disaster Rotary must respond,”
Williams added.
“This is not the end. We will continue to send water and whatever else we can resource,” Mike Forde, president of Rotary Club of Barbados South, remarked.
“There was no wasting of time in terms of what Rotary was willing to do,” St John noted.
Salters-based Glacial Ice purchases local water which it purifies and sells in Barbados under the brand Glacial Pure.
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