Government and Opposition Reach Out To Dominica

Tropical Storm Erika turned deadly on Thursday leaving at least twelve people dead and several others injured in its aftermath in Dominica. Among those confirmed dead were a blind elderly man and two children in southeastern Dominica, and another man was killed in the country’s capital of Roseau. Erika has also caused countless infrastructural damage to the island.

Reports are that nearly nine inches of rain overnight Wednesday occasioned severe flooding and mudslides, washed out roadways, and caused the collapse of several buildings, including family dwellings. On Thursday afternoon the prime minister of Dominica Roosevelt Skerrit visited Saint Lucia offering a first hand account and initial assessment of the impact of the storm, to Saint Lucia’s prime minister Kenny Anthony.

The Saint Lucian prime minister and minister for finance, economic affairs, planning & social security, for his part has reached out to his counterpart, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, in offering support.

“I take this opportunity to extend my sincerest sympathies, on behalf of the Government and people of Saint Lucia, to our neighbours, our brothers and sisters in Dominica. The grim, grim scenes of devastation that we have witnessed today hit very close to home, and even though we have not been directly physically affected by the passage of Tropical Storm Erika, a disaster of this magnitude impacts all of us throughout the Caribbean,” a statement from the office of the prime minister of Saint Lucia quotes him as saying.

“The people of Dominica have been uppermost in my thoughts today. I call on my fellow Saint Lucians to pray for Dominica. I know so many of us have friends and family living and working there. I wish to reassure the people of Saint Lucia that we are working with the Government and emergency authorities in Dominica to confirm the extent of damage and to determine how best we can support them in this, their time of need,” Dr. Anthony went on to say.

The main opposition United Workers Party here have also expressed deep sadness by news of the devastation that took place in Dominica.

“The United Workers Party The leadership and members of the UWP express sincere condolences to the families of those who have The UWP has also appealed to Saint Lucians to reach out and lend their support to Dominica.

The following disaster relief accounts have been activated in the name of the Government of Saint Lucia, to receive monetary contributions for relief efforts in Dominica.
1st National Bank 6002660 LUOBLCLC
RBTT-1800300000047196 RBTTLCLC
Bank of Nova Scotia 2002817 NOSCLCLC
Bank of Saint Lucia 901300136- BOSLLCLC
First Caribbean International 106962170 FCIBLCLC