CARICOM diplomats organise relief for The Bahamas
By Tangerine Clarke
Consul General of the Commonwealth
of the Bahamas,
Lawrence S. Cartwright,
expressed special thanks to the
CARICOM Consular Corps for
the outpouring of support, after
Hurricane Dorian ravished
parts of the island nation.
CG Cartwright, who joined
the relief effort on Saturday,
Sept. 14, at the Friends of
Crown Heights Educational
Center, 921 Hegeman Ave., in
Brooklyn, conveyed appreciation
to the diaspora and governments
around the world, for
the help, he said, was astounding.
“It is phenomenal, the way,
governments from all over the
world, and groups like us here
in the diaspora, have come forward
to show solidarity, it is
outstanding. We are happy to
be here, even though, it’s a sad
situation in the Bahamas,” said
Cartwright.
“We thank all who are showing
support. We are in survival
mode. Water, baby supplied,
and non-perishable items are
needed for people to sustain
themselves,” he said, adding
that tarpaulin is also necessary,
because of a tropical storm in
the area that is drenching the
island with rain.
Hurricane Dorian ravished
Abaco and Grand Bahama; the
second and third economic
power islands of the 16 major
islands. “We have 14 islands,
operational, and luckily, he
said, “the island’s main economic
power, New Providence,
escaped the devastation, and
the Bahamas is open for business,
Caribbean Life, S 20 eptember 20-26, 2019 BQ
hotels are running, and
life is going on other islands
that escaped the wrath of Hurricane
Dorian.”
Chair of the Consular Corps,
Consul General of St. Vincent
and the Grenadines, Howie
Prince, reminded the gathering
that the islands are in the
hurricane belt and hurricanes
do devastate them at times,
and called for assistance to aid
The Bahamas.
In 2017, the corps was
formed to help the BVI and
other islands that felt the wrath
of Hurricane Maria.
“It is our duty to provide
assistance to our brothers and
sisters. We are asking to give
generously. Financial assistance
is also needed. Let us do
what we can to ease citizens
from this plight they are in,”
said CG Prince.
Consul General of Guyana,
Barbara Atherly, expressed
condolences to the Bahamas
nation, for the many citizens
who died, noting, that when
the Consular Corps was activate,
after Hurricane Maria,
and chaired by her, two years
ago, there was an outpouring
of support. As such, the body
is hopeful that the response
will be the same, with donations
of necessary items to aid
Bahamians.
She thanked her staff for
their donations of much needed
supplies, and for volunteering
their time towards the relief
effort that is being coordinated
by the Consular Corps.
She also praised Guyana for
the emergency team that is in
place to assist the Caribbean
Disaster Emergency Management
Agency (CDEMA) with
rebuilding efforts, as part of the
CARICOM mobilization plan.
The Guyana Bank for Trade
and Industry, GBTI, has made
a donatio, while the private
sector has started cash relief
efforts, as part of many other
initiatives to aid Guyanese and
other citizens living in the
Bahamas.
CARICOM Consular Corp’s fi rst relief effoty for the Bahamas, at Friends of Crown Heights
Educational Center, in Brownsville. From left, Consulate of Guyana staff, Lorraine Croft-
Farnell, CG of Belize, Herman R. Longworth, Vice Counsul of Saint Lucia, Victoria Bousquet,
CG of Guyana to New York, Barbara Atherly, CG of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, to New
York, Howie Prince, Vincy nationals, Rohan and Baylan Bailey, and Guyana Tri-State Alliance,
President, Patricia Jordon-Langford. Photo by Tangerine Clarke