ROSEAU—The Dominica Government yesterday welcomed the visit of the former West Indies test cricketer, Brian Charles Lara, as the special envoy of the T&T Government, saying it signalled an intention of the new administration in Port-of-Spain to assist the island to recover from the battering it received from Tropical Storm Erika last month.
Lara arrived yesterday and held talks with Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit on how the new Keith Rowley administration could assist in the rehabilitation of the island after the storm on August 27 left more than 30 people dead and damage estimated at more than EC$600 million (One EC dollar = US$0.37 cents).
“Clearly this is a huge decision on the part of Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley. With all of the challenges he has in Trinidad, being a new government, having to settle the new Cabinet, having to re-appoint boards…that he has decided that Dominica is one of his priorities and that alone for us is a huge gesture on his part,” said Skerrit.
“We are very appreciative of the visit here and we have no doubt that Dr Rowley will assist us in our efforts at the reconstruction of Dominica and helping so many people whose lives have been affected,” Skerrit said, noting that T&T has always been “a very strong regional partner of Dominica and indeed within the Caricom (Caribbean Community) and provided much leadership…
“And with Dr Rowley’s strong support for regional integration and for T&T providing the kind of guidance and leadership as a founding member of Caricom we have no doubt that Dr Rowley will provide that leadership and guidance for greater Caribbean integration.”
Skerrit told reporters sending Lara to Dominica underscored Port-of-Spain’s desire to assist his island “and we are really appreciative of the visit itself.
“As I have been saying to the public we have received tremendous support from our regional and international partners…but the presence of individuals here is a source of hope, motivation and comfort for many who have been affected,” Skerrit said.
Lara said that he had arrived here with a message from Rowley indicating “we are family and when one family suffers, the other one does and we are here to help.
“We stand in solidarity with the whole of Dominica during this really trying time. We understand and we know and recognise the displacement of people…we sympathise with their loss of lives and property...and I am really here to take something back to T&T and let my government know exactly the way that we should react and respond to the needs of Dominica.”
Following the storm on August 27, T&T had made available Air Guard helicopters to assist in the rescue efforts after several villages were cut off and roads and bridges impassable. (CMC)