Guardian Media managing director Lucio Mesquita wants Trinidad and Tobago to come on board to help those affected by Hurricane Irma.
He made the call as Guardian Media, in partnership with the American Chamber of Commerce Trinidad and Tobago (AMCHAM) and Pan American Development Foundation (PADF), continued their drive to raise funds to help those islands affected.
Guardian Media is the parent company of the T&T Guardian, CNC3 and the Trinidad Broadcasting Network.
Mesquita said yesterday he was pleased to be partnering to help with relief efforts, adding it is a funding raising initiative where people can use their credit or debit cards to make donations.
“You help with cash and what we are doing is helping the organisations that are experienced in relief efforts,” Mesquita said.
On why they were asking people to donate cash at the moment, Mesquita said: “I am sure there will be the moment very soon where people will be asked to donate goods, but this will happen when the aid agencies let us know what type of goods they are looking for.”
He said people often collect things for relief efforts from the bottom of their hearts to donate, but it does not help and the thrust is to get things that are desperately needed.
However, he said the current relief partnership campaign will not stop at just collecting cash donations and as part of the ANSA McAL Group, the T&T Guardian will co-ordinate efforts for other items that can be used in the relief for hurricane victims.
Mesquita said when situations of disaster arrive, you must look for the best way to help and allow everyone to contribute in a way that really helps every single person affected.
At least 11 people were killed on Saint Martin and Saint Barts, four in the US Virgin Islands, four in the British Virgin Islands, and one each in Barbuda, Anguilla and Barbados.
“It’s hard not to be touched by the level of destruction on many of the islands. Trinidad and Tobago is not always quite in the path of hurricanes but the hurricanes have been here before, so we have to put ourselves in their positions and how awful it can be,” he said.
He said every donation counts and wants citizens to follow the Guardian Media companies to learn more about how to donate and help those affected.
PADF, which has worked to rebuild devastated communities across the Americas, has created a special portal for any financial contributions.
Join us and make a difference by going to: http://www.padf.org/irmaamchamtt to make a donation.
