ANSA McAL, through Guardian Media Limited (GML), is partnering with the American Chamber of Commerce of T&T (AMCHAM) and the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) to provide immediate assistance to those affected by Hurricane Irma.
Irma, an intensely powerful Category 5 hurricane, hit most of the Leeward Islands Caribbean neighbours and it continuing its trek to Florida threatening more devastation. As if that is not enough of a challenge, Hurricane Jose is now strengthening with the possibility of making landfall on the same group of islands, including Tortola, St Maarten and Antigua and Barbuda.
Contacted for a comment on the joint initiative yesterday, AMCHAM president Nirad Tewarie expressed sheer excitement at working together with ANSA McAL and PADF in coordinating the relief supply effort for those affected in the region.
“It is a very difficult time for us Trinbagonians, but whatever people can give we would appreciate it. We know that people help in different ways and so we encourage all to give how much they can afford in this relief effort,” Tewarie said.
“We hope we would be able to raise significant resources so that we would be able to reach those who really need it.”
Separately, the ANSA McAL Group, through its subsidiaries, will also be coordinating emergency supplies to affected islands. Already, ANSA’s Manufacturing Sector, through Trinidad Match Limited and ANSA Chemicals, are working with distributors in Antigua and Dominica to ship matches and bleach to affected residents in the islands. Logistics present a nightmare at this time, however, as most of the infrastructure in some of the Leeward Islands were completely destroyed. Irma, the most powerful Atlantic Ocean storm in recorded history, has left a trail of destruction across the Caribbean and killed at least 14 people.
It tore through Puerto Rico, Anguilla, St Bart’s, St Maarten, Antigua and Barbuda, Tortola and the British Virgin Islands.
Thousands of people on some of the hit islands are now homeless and infrastructure will cost millions to rebuild, with Antigua Prime Minister Gaston Browne saying in excess of US$150 million will be needed to rebuild Barbuda
PADF is dedicated to serving vulnerable people in Latin America and the Caribbean through sustainable community development.
Its programmes have generated thousands of jobs, saved lives and property, protected vital natural resources, upgraded skills training and medical services, and improved conditions for thousands of disadvantaged Latin American and the Caribbean people.
More info
PADF has also created a special portal for the ANSA McAL Family to make financial donations for relief for
Hurricane Irma:
https://www.padf.org/irmaamchamtt
Please visit this
website and make a
donation if you can
