By Devonne Cornelius
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN) — Donations are still being accepted at the Nevis Disaster Management Department (NDMD) for shipment to St. Vincent and the Grenadines to assist people displaced by the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano.
“Currently, we are receiving some supplies for St. Vincent and the Grenadines. These include water, hygiene kits, and dry foods. We have also received a few face masks but the majority collected so far has been water…and we are also working in collaboration with a lady by the name of Vivian Stapleton who has organized a water drive to assist in the relief effort,” Mr. Brian Dyer, Director of NDMD told WINN on Thursday, April 15.
Ms. Vivian Stapleton, a St. Vincent and the Grenadines national who resides in St. Kitts and Nevis collaborated with Mr. Fletcher St. Jean of EzRates to start a “St. Vincent Volcano Water is Life Charity Drive” on the heels of the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano on April 09, 2021.
“The goal is 1000 cases of water. Right now we have roughly over 300 cases of water…the Bank of Nevis Limited said they will be donating some water, I heard from the General Manager of Flow, I also heard from the National Bank. I am assuming by the day’s end, we should have halfway met our goal by having about 500 cases of water,” Mr. St. Jean said.
In 2017, after Hurricane Irma and Maria devasted Anguilla and Dominica, Ms. Stapleton and Mr. St. Jean, with the assistance of businesses within the local community, shipped 1000 cases of water to the National Disaster Centre in Anguilla, and another 1000 cases of water to the government of Dominica
Mr. Brian Dyer told WINN that cash donations are being accepted at the St. Kitts Nevis Anguilla National Bank Limited in the name of the Accountant General.
“We have been assisting with other measures as we are preparing for those persons being evacuated [from St. Vincent and the Grenadines]. We are preparing for that eventuality.
People who are interested in making a donation are asked to do so on or before Monday, April 19, 2021, from the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily at NDMD’s storage room at Long Point, Nevis. For more information call NDMD at 469-5521, Vivian Stapleton at 665-4181, or Fletcher St. Jean at 669-8900.
