A water ambulance that was built after the only road leading into Matelot was blocked by landslides and fallen trees, was officially handed over to the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation yesterday.
The boat, which was named in honour of the late Angela Cropper, founder of the Cropper Foundation, was presented to corporation chairman Terry Rondon by Ken Nishii, Second Secretary of the Embassy of Japan, during a brief ceremony in Sangre Grande.
Nishii said the vessel was built and commissioned in keeping with the Japanese government’s commitment to deepening relations with T&T and to strengthening this country’s disaster management framework through development of policies and strategies, training exchanges, post-disaster recovery, strengthening of infrastructure and acquisition of equipment.
Rondon said the vessel will be used in emergencies for Matelot residents whenever roads into that community are impassable.