Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance Dr. Ashni Singh this evening on behalf of President Irfaan Ali oversaw the dispatchment of a ship carrying a number of containers of relief supplies from the BK Wharf at Kingston, Georgetown to Caracas, Venezuela, the country’s earthquake affected neighbour to the West. The relief supplies comprised those being sent by Guyana and various other CARICOM countries who assisted in the humanitarian aid, namely the Governments of Belize, The Bahamas, St Lucia, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis ad St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Besides the 88 containers which contained food items, medical supplies and other equipment, 300 black tanks and 2 pieces of heavy earth moving equipment were also dispatched.

Speaking prior to the dispatchment of the relief, Dr Singh while at the Kingston Wharf reminded that all of Guyana would have witnessed the horrific devastation that was caused by the earthquake of  June 24th when mass structures were destroyed and there was widespread loss of life and injury caused to this country’s Venezuelan brothers and sisters. He added, “immediately after the occurrence of the disaster, President Irfaan Ali, in what can only be described as a gesture of good neighborliness, immediately conveyed his sympathy at loss of life and his deep concern for the injuries sustained and for the damages that would have occurred as a result of this really horrific natural disaster”

Minister Singh also recalled that beyond simply conveying his concerns, President Ali immediately mobilized a massive national and regional effort to secure contributions alongside government’s own effort to mobilize the collection of humanitarian supplies to be sent to the  people of Venezuela.