The Guyana Relief Council (GRC) says though it continues to render assistance to persons in need, the constant use of scarce resources for disasters which are deliberate or caused by irresponsible behaviour limits its capacity to respond when natural disasters occur.
In a press release, the GRC said fires are often caused by unsupervised children, family disputes and illegal electricity connections and, in such cases, causes unnecessary hardships to the individuals involved; their neighbourhoods and ultimately to the nation as it drains the country’s economy. It said with the unfailing help of donors and volunteers it is assisting four families comprising 17 persons: Ganesh Somwaru from a family of three, of Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo; Alexis Thomas from a family of four, of 647 West Ruimveldt; Petrulla Thomas from a family of six, of ‘E’ Field, Sophia and Linda Wickham from a family of four persons, of 19 Bourda Street, Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara. The GRC said this brings the total number of persons they assisted, for the year, to 90 including 20 families and seven welfare cases.
The GRC last week concluded one week of activities to mark its 13th anniversary as a non-governmental organisation with a church service at the St George’s Cathedral on Sunday. The GRC is appealing to the public and business community to support its efforts as “your generosity enables [it] to provide timely and relevant relief to persons who suffer disasters.”
