The Government of Trinidad and Tobago has coordinated a national relief effort for Venezuela following devastating earthquakes that struck the neighbouring country on Wednesday.
Acting on the instructions of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs and the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government convened a Joint Public and Private Sector Stakeholder Meeting today to map out a humanitarian response. The meeting, chaired by Foreign Affairs Minister Sean Sobers and Rural Development and Local Government Minister Khadijah Ameen, brought together senior representatives from the Ministries of Defence, Health, and Homeland Security, alongside executive members of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the T&T Manufacturers Association, the American Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Energy Chamber, and Sewa International TT.
Out of the meeting came a commitment to a unified public-private relief effort. Private sector donations are being directed to Warehouse Sheds 1 and 2 at the Port of Point Lisas, Amazon Drive, Point Lisas Industrial Estate. A broader national collection drive, involving all 14 municipal corporations across Trinidad, the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), and participating supermarkets, is set to begin on Monday, June 29, running daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Members of the public wishing to contribute financially can donate to the Disaster Relief Fund–Venezuela at First Citizens Bank, Account Number 3209042, accessible at any branch or via online transfer.
Given the scale and stage of the relief operation, organisers have asked donors to focus on specific categories of items: over-the-counter medical supplies; personal hygiene products, including feminine hygiene items; non-perishable food and bottled water with a shelf life of at least three months; and mattresses and cots.
The Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs also confirmed that the Embassy of Trinidad and Tobago in Caracas has made contact with all T&T nationals currently in Venezuela as tourists. All are reported safe, and arrangements are actively underway to facilitate their earliest possible return home.
The government said it will continue to coordinate with Venezuelan authorities to ensure the timely and secure delivery of all relief items, and pledged to keep the public informed as the situation develops.