MIAMI – The Americas Relief Team (ART), an initiative of Outreach Aid to the Americas (OAA) announced Friday (Nov. 30th) that the first shipments of supplies were sent to Dominica and Antigua & Barbuda.
ART and OAA Team said 13 generators and mobile power supply units along with a number of cots and blankets have arrived in the Commonwealth of Dominica and Antigua and Barbuda to contribute to relief and rebuilding activities currently underway, following the devastation caused to Barbuda and the Commonwealth of Dominica by hurricanes Irma and Maria respectively, in early September.
A shipment of nine generators and mobile power units left Miami via Tropical Shipping for Dominica and arrived Port Roseau on Sunday, November 26.
The shipment is consigned to the Dominica Red Cross which is coordinating, in consultation with the national disaster management agency there, how these generators will be assigned to provide power on a priority basis, ART/OAA President Dr. Teo Babun explained.
He also disclosed that a shipment of four (4) generators and a quantity of cots and blankets has arrived in Antigua. This shipment sailed from Miami via King Ocean Shipping lines. This shipment is consigned to the Antigua and Barbuda Red Cross which, like in the case with Dominica, is in consultation with local stakeholders to ensure the most effective use of the donated items in the rebuilding efforts on Barbuda.
Babun said that an additional five mobile power units, three for Dominica and two for Antigua and Barbuda respectively, will be shipped by the end of November. He said ART/OAA will continue to liaise with stakeholders in both countries with a view to assessing what additional assistance the organization can provide.
He said that the donation and delivery of this assistance involved the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Limited Excess Property Program (LEPP), the One Caribbean Strong Hurricane Relief Organization, and Cargo Express International Inc. with support from Tropical Shipping and King Ocean Shipping lines which provided special discounted hurricane relief shipping rates.
The total in-kind value of these donations stand at just over $500,000 (US), Dr. Babun disclosed.
Americas Relief Team hands over generators to Dominica Red Cross
