Barbados Lends Financial Support To Dominica

The Government of Barbados has pledged US $100,000 to bolster the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency’s relief efforts in Dominica.

Moreover, says Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, that financial aid “will not be the extent” of the support Barbados will give.

Mr. Stuart, who is also Chairman of CARICOM, gave this assurance during a press conference on Wednesday evening, following his return to Barbados from a tour to assess the full extent of the damage caused by Tropical Storm Erika in Dominica.

“In any other respect in which Barbados can be of assistance to people in Dominica, Barbados stands ready to render that assistance,” the Prime Minister added. He recounted the extent of the destruction he had seen while on an aerial tour of the country, and indicated that several bridges, homes and roads were greatly damaged by the storm.

The CARICOM Chairman also made special mention of the resilience of the Dominican people. “The spirit of the people in Dominica is very, very high. … Residents have been taking the situation into their own hands, not waiting for the Government, but in fact many persons would go to work in the day, then come home and work to rebuild,” he noted.

Mr. Stuart was also full of praise for Barbados’ military personnel on assignment in Dominica, with whom he met while on his tour there. “The HMBS Trident was in Dominica in very short order to assist Dominicans with search and rescue and relocations. (Currently) 44 Defence Force personnel are in Dominica continuing to assist with the effort at restoration,” he added.

The Barbadian Prime Minister pointed out that all CARICOM member states were putting in place measures to ensure Dominica received the aid it requires. Mr. Stuart was accompanied on his tour of Dominica by CARICOM Secretary- General Irwin LaRocque; Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force, Colonel Alvin Quintyne; and Executive Director of the Regional Security System, Grantley Watson.