At the weekend the Muslim Youth Organization (MYO) donated a large amount of food items and cleaning agents, worth G $ 4 million, to the government and people of St Vincent and the Grenadines to help with the island’s volcano relief efforts.
The La Soufriere volcano erupted on April 9, 2021, and many have been displaced due to its explosion and ash spying.
Guyana has been struggling to help its CARICOM counterpart, and according to the Director General of the Civil Defense Commission, Lieutenant Kester Craig, the MYO donation will be part of the next shipment due to the island.
The donation, which includes rice, sugar, flour, chowmein, sanitary and hygiene items and personal protective equipment, will leave for the island this week.
MYO Vice President Imran Ally said the items were collected from donors, and plans are afoot to get another such donation soon.
“The Muslim Youth Foundation has been known over the years to be a generous organization and more so, in this time of need, we have contacted our members and they would have given us these donations to make the Government and the people of St Vincent, ”said Ally.
Meanwhile, Guyana’s first shipment of 350 tons of disaster relief items for the volcano that struck St Vincent and the Grenadines, arrived on the Caribbean Island on Saturday morning.
Led by Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, a party of government officials were on site to witness the arrival of the items, which will immediately go towards supporting people in refuges.
There was also Guyana Consul General Nigel Russell with staff from the Guyana Consulate in St. Louis. Vincent. A very appreciative Gonsalves said it was “a considerable load … a great gift.”
Referring to biblical teachings, the Prime Minister identified Guyana as the main cornerstone of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
“I always said in the day when things were a bit difficult in Guyana they would be the main cornerstone of CARICOM … it’s almost like a Bible prophecy is fulfilled,” said the Prime Minister.