| Safer building workshops for Grenada The Government has announced plans to stage a number of workshops for qualified carpenters. According to a release from the Ministry of Finance, the training program commences this Monday September 27 and continues through the 30 of this month. The training which is free is sponsored by UNDP and focuses on the construction of hurricane resistant roofs. The first two training workshops take place at the Craft Center and Westerhall Secondary school on Monday 27th, beginning at nine in the morning. The following day, Tuesday 28th training takes place at the St. Andrew Anglican Secondary School from nine in the morning. The Mt. Rose SDA comprehensive is the venue for the third in the series’ of workshops, on Wednesday September 22. Training sessions are also scheduled fjor carpenters in St. Mark and St. John at the St. John’s R.C School. The training concludes on the sister isles of Carriacou and Petite Martinique on September 30. One school re-opens Fourteen days after Hurricane Ivan destroyed much of Grenada’s infrastructure, one school has reopened. It’s the Alpha Junior School in Mt Parnassus. Scores of the students returned to the class room for the first time since September 6. Classes finished at midday today. During the coming week other schools are planning to commence classes. Already several form five students and others preparing for “A” level examinations have traveled to neighboring countries to continue their studies. None of the twenty-one secondary schools in the country is operating. A number of them have been severely damaged by Hurricane Ivan. Temporary roofing - a major item in need Tarpaulins are in great demand across Grenada. Thousands of Grenadians are besieging both the Grenada Red Cross and National Emergency Relief Organization (NERO) for tarpaulins to cover their homes. Hurricane Ivan is estimated to have destroyed or knocked off the roofs of more than ninety percent of the homes and business places across Grenada. The Red Cross says it distributed more than one thousand seven hundred tarpaulins. during this week thus far. Each day the respective relief centers and NERO’s Office are crowded with request for tarpaulins. Both NERO and the Red Cross are making special efforts to meet the demands of the thousands of Grenadians requesting them. Jamaica's Prime Minister to visit Jamaica’s Prime Minister P.J Patterson arrives here tomorrow Wednesday. The Jamaican leader will tour much of the country to see for himself the vast destruction caused by Hurricane Ivan. Prime Minister Patterson will also meet with his Grenadian counterpart Dr. Keith Mitchell as well as Leader of the opposition, the Hon. Tillman Thomas. P.J. Patterson is the fourth CARICOM leader to visit Grenada since the passage of Hurricane Ivan. The others were Patrick Manning of Trinidad and Tobago, Kenny Anthony of St. Lucia and Ralph Gonzales of St. Vincent. Bigger push on relief distribution Chairman of the relief committee Permanent Secretary Veda Bruno-Victor says every effort is being made to ensure that food supplies and other necessities reach all Grenadians. Today Bruno-Victor traveled to the parish of St Andrew where many have complained of not receiving any relief since the passage of Hurricane Ivan on September 7, 2004. The Permanent Secretary says her team met with the leader of the Trinidad Defence Force who is spearheading the coordination in the parish together with the coordinator and all persons involved in the distribution. She also said that such areas as Dunfermline and Old Westerhall are now being dealt with expeditiously. Another area in which persons have complained about not receiving relief, South St. George, had two truck loads of food supplies sent for distribution. Victor-Bruno says that her committee has intensified it efforts to address all pockets of complaints. She believes that in the coming days there will be fewer and fewer complains. National clean-up week-end Minister for Communications and Works Dr. Claris Modest–Curwen says government has designated this weekend, September 25 & 26, as national clean up weekend. She says that on Saturday and Sunday every effort will be made to mobilize the nation to clean up their respective communities. Across Grenada there are tonnes of debris in the roads, playing fields, and villages left behind by Hurricane Ivan fourteen days ago. Minister Modest-Curwen is urging all citizens to organize themselves at the community level and spend time clearing up their area. One hundred and twenty members of the Venezuelan military and civilian are currently involved in a clean up of the city and surrounding areas. Virgin Atlantic Relief Flight Virgin Atlantic will touch down tomorrow afternoon at the Point Salines International Airport with food supplies for victims of Hurricane Ivan. Economic assessment underway A comprehensive assessment of the impact of Hurricane Ivan on Grenada’s economy is now being conducted. The assessment began on Monday. A multi-disciplinary team arranged by the OECS Secretariat and including representatives from UN/ELAC and the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank is spearheading the assessment. Their mission is to conduct a socio-economic assessment of the impact of the Hurricane on Grenada. It will also review the various sectors to determine the direct and indirect effects on public health, education, manufacturing, housing, agriculture, fisheries and forestry. During the week the assessment mission will make trips to various parts of the State including Carriacou compiling relevant data and formulating the assessment report for presentation to Cabinet on Friday, September 24th 2004. The assessment report will be the official assessment report used by the Government of Grenada to mobilize assistance from the international donor community for Grenada’s reconstruction program. |