Local businesses are continuing to band together in solidarity to donate millions in relief supplies to those islands affected by hurricanes in the past weeks.
Yesterday, donations poured in over at Harris Paints, which received millions in relief supplies, including food, water, pharmaceuticals and clothing, while on Wednesday, supplies were handed over to the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) by other private companies, through the Private Sector Commission (PSC), at the PSC’s Waterloo Street office.
Harris Paints received US$40,000 in pharmaceuticals from Twins Manufacturing yesterday, as well as supplies from Fast Track Pharmacy. Yesterday’s donations also included $1.1 million worth in soaps, toothbrushes, Milex milk and coffee from DeSinco Trading; and at least 100 hampers for women and babies, which included bottles, diapers, pins, and towels, which were contributed by the Professional Guard Services (PGS).
A donation was also made by a charity, through the PGS, of stuffed toys for the children, and whistles.
Other donations made to the company for the hurricane-hit islands included pharmaceutical supplies from doctors; biscuits, toothpaste, toothbrushes and the like by Grace Kennedy; and water and toilet paper from private citizens.
Nicole Griffith, the Retail Services Manager of Harris Paints, related that the high response to the call for donations only started within the past few days. She noted that they have also had walk-in donations from citizens on the street.
Griffith related that the company plans to ship the items as early as next week on its own to St Lucia, from where it will be distributed to the affected locations. “So we’ve been getting overwhelming support from Guyana and it is very emotional for us and we are hoping that more companies would come forward and more individuals would support us,” Marguerite Desir, who is the Senior Vice President of Human Resources and the Head of Harris Paints’ business units in St Lucia, Dominica and Guyana, stated yesterday.
On Wednesday at the PSC, several members of the group made contributions to aid in the relief efforts. Only a few of the donors were present at the handing-over ceremony, however.
A donation of US$5,000 was made by Rubis, which complemented US$24,000 in fuel that Rubis had donated previously to the islands.
The CDC also received one tonne of frozen fish, valued at $1 million from Beni Sankar; a generator from Silvie’s Variety Store; diapers, canned food, insecticide and toothbrushes to the tune of $151,000 from Patsan Trading Services; a contribution of $100,000 from Guyana Industrial Minerals; four tonnes of rice valued at $602,000 from Guyana Stockfeeds; $2 million in containers of water and biscuits from Banks DIH; four containers of water from DDL; two tonnes of rice, valued at $200,000, from Nand Persaud and company; five tonnes of flour from Namilco, valued at $1 million (Namilco had also made a previous donation); 34 tonnes of rice from A Hack and Sons; $450,000 worth of tarpaulin from National Hardware; $67,000 worth of tarpaulin from Muneshwers; $90,000 worth of tarpaulin from Gafoors; $84,000 worth of tarpaulin from Demerara Tobacco 50; $ 352,000 worth of tarpaulin from Toolsie Persaud; and $500,000 from Kaieteur News.
It was previously reported that almost $7 million in donations were made previously by the Edward B Beharry Group of Companies in collaboration with Sterling Products; and that Gaico had chartered a plane to deliver the supplies, which cost $12,000.
CDC Director General Colonel Chabilal Ramsarup said that the supplies will be shuttled on Saturday using The Seaboard, to Dominica, and Tropical, to Antigua.
Reminding that they have not neglected the local leg of storm relief, businessman Komal Singh related on Wednesday that supplies would have been transported yesterday to Bath Settlement. Included in those donations are $1 million in supplies, which were made up of zinc sheets and lumber.
