PM's "Helping Hand" initiative gets off the ground

The "Helping Hand" initiative announced Thursday by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has already take off.

Persad-Bissessar led a delegation of officials and experts Friday to St Lucia to see the extent of the damage caused by Hurricane Tomas as part of ongoing efforts to assist those persons who have been affected by the hurricane in neighboring Caribbean Islands.

Read the story: T&T creates "Helping Hand" group to help region; PM Kamla flies to St Lucia Friday

The delegation returned home in time for the celebration of Divali, the Hindu festival of lights.

A media release Friday from the office of the Prime Minister stated that on thursday two flights left to the Hewanorra International Airport in Vieux Fort, St. Lucia carrying key supplies for St Lucians.

The items were donated from several sources, including NGO’s, corporate citizens and some government agencies.

The release said the bulk of the shipment was packaged water from Blue Waters in Trinidad, which donated 13 skids weighing some 27,730 pounds. The shipment was consigned to the National Emergency Management Organization in St Lucia.

Donations of water were also sent by the Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter Day Saints and the Caribbean Meteorological Organization to the Met office in Vieux Fort, St. Lucia.

Amerijet also purchased and transported some of the freight free of charge to St Lucia. The rest of the shipment was transported at a subsidized rate.