MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Falkland Islands aid to Grenada acknowledged.
On Tuesday morning, in a short ceremony, in Grenada, the Caribbean Island devastated last year by Hurricane Ivan, Mr. Vic Wallis, Resident British High Commissioner handed over a cheque, for EC$25,225 to the Ministry of Education on behalf of the Falkland Islands Government.
Although many thousands of miles from Grenada, when the elected Councillors of the Falkland Islands heard news of the devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan, they quickly sought to help, recognising the need of a fellow small Commonwealth country with limited resources.
The Islands' Executive Council recommended to the Standing Finance Committee that they make a donation to help the international relief effort. The Committee readily agreed to donate the Islands' full Disaster Relief budget of £5,000 (approximately EC$25,000) to Grenada. They asked for a small, stand-alone project to be identified to which they could contribute, perhaps in the area of education.
Finally, with the help of the Grenada Ministry of Education, the Community Library in St. John's Parish was identified as a worthy project. The Library, intended to serve both pupils and teachers in all schools in the area, was nearing completion when Hurricane Ivan struck. The donation will help to restore the building, enabling it to open and serve the community.
In a letter to Falklands Councillors, the Grenada High Commissioner said that he had been asked on behalf of the Minister and people of Grenada to express their most sincere thanks to the Government and people of the Falklands for this most generous gift. They were deeply touched by such thoughtfulness, which would make a real contribuition to the education needs of the community it will serve.
Mr.Wallis said that in his speech during the presentation ceremony, he had "spelt out that this generous donation of the Falkland Islands' full Disaster Relief budget sent a message to the people of Grenada. Despite the distance, the devastation that Hurricane Ivan had caused had touched the hearts of the people of the Falkland Islands. They had quickly sought to help, recognising the needs of another small Commonwealth country, with limited resources. This was an important message; this small nation has many friends around the world". John Fowler (MP) Stanley
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