SVG receives humanitarian aid from French government, people

A quantity of supplies, compliments the French government and people was delivered here last Friday on board the French Naval vessel the Dumont-Durville.{{more}}

The shipment contained 40 pallets containing 20 tonnes of humanitarian aid including water, food items, medical supplies, and wheel chairs.

Items collected by a few Vincentian organizations in Barbados were also among those delivered by the vessel, Senator Camillo Gonsalves, Minister of Foreign Affairs said.

According to Gonsalves, the items collected will come in very useful in the affected areas.

It is expected that the items will be in the custody of the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) and the Red Cross for distribution.

Howie Prince, the Director of NEMO explained that his organization will be responsible for distributing goods to the shelters, where he said 176 people are currently being housed; and the Red Cross will distribute items to the 300 families who have been displaced at the community level.

Prince said that the Government had already made a pledge that it would respond to the needs of the people for the next six months.

However, this was quite an expensive task, so according to Prince every item that they received for free would be in the Government’s favour. (DD)