India Donates Hurricane Relief Supplies to SVG
The Government of India has donated approximately US$ 1 million (US$ 1,000,000) in hurricane relief supplies to the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).
Speaking on Tuesday, 29th October, at a handover ceremony held at the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO), Old Montrose, Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, H.E. Mr. Subhash Prasad Gupta, High Commissioner of India to SVG, said the first shipment of relief supplies, totalling 65 tonnes, has arrived in SVG, with another shipment expected to arrive soon.
Prasad Gupta said the supplies consist of sleeping bags, personal hygiene kits, tarpaulins, and other items.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, and Consumer Affairs, Hon. Frederick Stephenson, also addressed the ceremony. He expressed gratitude to the government and people of India for the donation of hurricane relief supplies.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in September 1981, India and SVG have enjoyed a longstanding bilateral relationship, according to the Foreign Affairs Minister.
Stephenson cited examples such as the Indian Grant Assistance totaling $200,000 for the implementation of Quick Impact Projects (QIP), which led to the restoration and repairs of the Bequia Community Market, completed on December 11th, 2020; (ii) construction of the Chateaubelair Agricultural Processing and Training Facility, completed in December 2022; (iii) construction of the Glenside Recreation Centre, completed in August 2022; and (iv) refurbishment of the Calder Community Centre, completed in September 2023.
Michelle Forbes, the director of NEMO, thanked the Government of India for responding to the needs list that disaster management organizations had created after Hurricane Beryl passed through on July 1, 2024.
Forbes welcomed the donation from India and noted that the Southern Grenadines, where disaster response, recovery, and reconstruction efforts are ongoing, are still receiving weekly relief supplies four months after Hurricane Beryl passed.
