buckets of hope' planned for SVG

TRINCITY

■ Alexander Bruzual

alexander.bruzual@trinidadexpress.com

SEWA International TT (SEWA TT) and the Supermarkets Association of Trinidad and Tobago (SATT) have teamed up to send more than $1 million in supplies to St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) in the aftermath of the La Soufriere volcano eruption.

The presidents of the two organisations held a news conference yesterday at Super Quality Supermarket in Trincity, where they made the announcement.

The supplies would comprise buckets each filled with an estimated $500 in dry goods – enough to feed a family of four (36 meals) for three days.

The buckets will contain food and medical supplies that are non-perishable and, as much as possible, produced by local suppliers.

Revan Teelucksingh, who heads SEWA TT, and SATT president Rajiv Diptee both said it was hoped that within the next two weeks, 2,000 of these buckets could be sent to families in St Vincent who are in need of aid.

'The Covid-19 pandemic, and all its hardships, does not abscond us from the responsibility to assist when natural disasters occur. The Caribbean is one family, and one of our relatives is in trouble, so we will band together and help. This is what we must do as a country, as individual businesses. We have to assist. We can't keep considering and calling ourselves 'leaders' in this Caribbean community and not act like it,' Diptee stated.

Teelucksingh noted that SEWA TT had a similar mindset and that St Vincent and the Grenadines was 'our Caribbean sister island' and needed support in these hard times.

'Barbados is also our Caribbean sister island and is coming under strain with ashfall and yet is still assisting SVG in any way that they can. We are reminded of the kindness Barbados showed our citizens during this pandemic. They took care of many of our citizens who were stranded and they also gave back to their sister islands by sharing vaccines. They have demonstrated how the Caribbean family should live as one and we shall take from their leave,' said Teelucksingh.

The organisations were working along with the Office of Disaster Preparedness (ODPM) and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), and a list of needs was provided for SVG, and they had kept to these lists.

'From our experience in previous local and regional disasters, there are several common items that are required in every natural disaster. In assessing these disasters, post-response, we have noted that many persons send items that are not required, which confuses and adds an extra burden on the already strained systems of the disaster area. SEWA TT's position is to comply with the list of items required so that we do not add to the problem,' Teelucksingh explained.

He also revealed that SEWA TT had chosen to send the items in buckets, as these were on the 'needs list' and, in their experience, these containers were strong, waterproof, and easy to handle, which makes them portable, and easy to stack for transportation and storage.

Each bucket also has a seal that must be broken to access its contents, which will indicate if someone tampers with it.

The public can make contributions at any of the participating supermarkets (listed below) and shoppers can inform the cashier that they would like to contribute to the 'SEWA TT SVG Volcano Relief'. The contribution would then be reflected in a receipt. The supermarkets will then consolidate the funds and pass them on to SEWA TT to procure the required items and arrange with the ODPM for delivery.

The confirmed supermarkets include all branches of Better Deal Supermarket; Best Deal Foods; Croisée/ Chase Mart; Massy Stores; MS Food City Supermarket; Park View Supermarket; Persad's D' Food King; PC Stop N Shop Supermarket; S&S Persad Supermarket; Super Quality; Tru Valu Supermarket; West Bees Supermarket; and Xtra Foods.

HOW IT'S DONE: Rajiv Diptee, right, president, Supermarkets Association of Trinidad and Tobago, and Revan Teelucksingh, president, SEWA TT, display some of the food for donation during a news conference yesterday at Super Quality, Trincity, on the SEWA TT SVG Volcano Relief programme. The items will be stored in sealed buckets. -Photo: ISHMAEL SALANDY