From left: President of SIGNIS Latin America, Carlos Ferraro; President of SIGNIS Caribbean, Lucille Nathu; and Vice-President of SIGNIS Caribbean, Lisa Bhajan.
Father John Persaud, General Secretary of the Antilles Episcopal Conference.
URGENT APPEAL FOR HELP
THE Association of Catholic Media Practitioners and Professionals is appealing for help for victims of Hurricane Irma.
President of SIGNIS Caribbean, Lucille Nathu, made the call during their 10th Annual General Meeting (AGM), hosted by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgetown at the Living Water Community Centre in St. David’s, Christ Church on Thursday.
She acknowledged that there has been devastation and pain to the people of the Caribbean.
This week the Category 5 storm caused loss of lives and extreme damage in Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Saint Martin and Sint Maarten, and continued to head northwest to Dominican Republic, Haiti, Turks and Caicos, Cuba and The Bahamas.
“People are really suffering and we have an obligation to assist,” Nathu expressed.
“We the members of SIGNIS Caribbean express our deep and heartfelt concern for all who suffered and are suffering the threat of Irma and now Hurricane Jose. We promise that we will keep them in our prayers and do whatever we can to solicit and to contribute to whatever aid is being sought… I appeal to all persons who can assist in anyway – the time for us to come together as a Caribbean people is now.”
General Secretary of the Antilles Episcopal Conference, Father John Persaud, revealed that they have been in contact with Bishop Robert Llanos of the Diocese of St. John’s Basseterre in Antigua, who has requested items such as bottled water, cups, mattresses, blankets, sheets and canned foods for those displaced.
“We will be appealing to all our Dioceses inviting them to organise collections – monetary as well as other items that can assist which include building items to help with the rebuilding of those who have lost everything.”
Fr. Persaud also revealed that he will be proposing to the Executive of the Antilles Episcopal Conference that they consider appealing to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to consider debt relief.
“It’s one thing for these international organisations to come sometimes and help in such situations, but sometimes they give you a loan, and on top of all the countries are already faced with, how do they repay a loan? Therefore, helping them with debt relief so that they won’t have to pay back loans, will be a good way of helping them.” (TL)