PM appeals for generosity from the UN

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves is pleading with the membership of the United Nations to be “generous in your solidarity”, at a global appeal fund launched Tuesday under the auspices of the international agency to assist the multi-island state.

 Gonsalves was addressing the United Nations Security Council yesterday when he made the appeal to countries with direct reference to La Soufriere’s volcanic eruption, which has been ongoing for the past 14 days.

 “Please help St Vincent and the Grenadines in it’s midnight hour of need,” the prime minister said.

“…One fifth of the island’s population has had to be evacuated to safer areas. A monumental challenge of humanitarian relief, including security considerations and recovery and construction face us.”  

 He noted that without the effective cooperation between SVG, the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations, “our life and living would be wholly unbearable”.

 Gonsalves added that relief efforts would also be stymied and prospects of recovery and reconstruction would be dismal without an enhancement of this kind of cooperation.

 The prime minister said the United Nations and its agencies have been actively at work, and regional entities including CARICOM, OECS, the RSS, the ALBA and Association of Caribbean States have been at the forefront of these “magnificent efforts”.

 “Still, much more is required to be done. Across our land, the faces of men and women are strained and anxious. They are hurting badly. The global community is being summoned to action to our aid, in the name of humanity and in accord with the United Nations charter, and the global community cannot allow itself to make haste slowly,” he said.

 According to updates from the UWI Seismic Research Centre, plumes from the April 18 eruption reached over 8km and there have been at least 30 identifiable explosive events since the start of the volcano’s explosive stage on April 9.

 The Shelters Report dated April 18 from the Ministry of Health shows that the total number of registered displaced persons is 9724.