Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs, Sean Sobers, has announced that eight containers loaded with supplies will be leaving Trinidad and Tobago for hurricane-ravaged Jamaica today.
Speaking at Thursday’s Post-Cabinet Media Briefing, he noted that a meeting was held earlier this week with a newly formed Inter-Ministerial Committee working with corporate T&T to kick-start plans to send aid to the hurricane-ravaged island.
He stated that the Committee had been engaged from Wednesday morning until midnight to ensure that the PLIPDECO Warehouse Complex at the Point Lisas Industrial Estate was adequately stocked with essential items and that TTDF personnel were present to oversee and assist with packing.
“The Prime Minister toured the facility today and upon her arrival, well, prior to her arrival, we had already loaded basically six containers, which will join two more that would leave the port this evening on its way for its first sailing to Jamaica. And we expect those goods to arrive in Jamaica on Sunday.”
Minister Sobers, who is the Chair of the Inter-Ministerial Committee to assist Jamaica, confirmed that Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar has also been in constant contact with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, and he is liaising with his Jamaican counterparts, Minister of Foreign and Trade Kamina Johnson, and also Minister of Education and Information, Dana Dixon, “to ensure that no efforts are being duplicated as we try to get these goods out to the people and the government of Jamaica.”
He reaffirmed Trinidad and Tobago’s continued support for the island to ensure that it gets back on its feet.
“As much as we are asked, we will provide. And we intend to continue these efforts as long as Jamaica requires it. If I’m not mistaken, we’ve also liaised with some aspects of SouthCom so that they will provide us with some assistance to move personnel to Jamaica as well, too, and heavy equipment as required such as generators and water tanks. And an advanced team from ODPM and the TTDF would be leaving to go to Jamaica, I believe, on Saturday morning.”
The Inter-Ministerial Committee comprises the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence, the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services, the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Lands and Legal Affairs, the Ministry of Public Utilities, the Ministry of Homeland Security, Defence, the Ministries of Works and Infrastructure, Trade, Investment and Tourism, Transport and Civil Aviation, and also the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government.