JOCC takes $1M in aid and cash to islands hit by Beryl
(CNS): Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly led a sizeable delegation around the region last week to take aid to islands hit by Hurricane Beryl earlier this month. On Tuesday they delivered bout 17,500lbs of aid cargo, worth $100,000, to Grenada and to St Vincent and the Grenadines as well as cheques for $700,000.
On Thursday the delegation went to Jamaica with a donation of $200,000. They flew on Cayman Airways with generators, chainsaws, shovels, rakes, tarpaulins, air mattresses, as well as toiletries, non-perishable food items, medical supplies and educational books.
Cayman gave $200,000 to Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell before he joined the delegation as it moved on to St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). There, PM Ralph Gonsalves received US$500,000 in cash along with $50,000 worth of supplies. Following that, $200,000 was taken to Jamaica.
“The one commonality that we share is that we are all human,” O’Connor-Connolly said. “Storms do not know faces, names or countries. Although Hurricane Ivan was 20 years ago, the memory is still fresh in my mind. I remain mindful that it is still early days yet in the hurricane season and that we must continue to be on our guard and be prepared.”
On the ground, Hazard Management Cayman Islands and the Cayman Airways crew collaborated with local disaster management authorities to ensure the safe offloading of cargo. Following the approval of the aid, discussions focused on specific areas of support, including rebuilding infrastructure and providing medical supplies and goods for the most vulnerable populations.
In Jamaica, the premier said, “It is also our duty as a neighbour with strong historical ties to the nation of Jamaica to extend kindness at this time. It brought me much joy to personally interact with Prime Minister Holness and Members of his Cabinet and offer direct support and encouragement.”
Cayman is also sending a seven-person team of CUC’s linesmen on Tuesday this week to join in the effort to restore electricity to Jamaican communities. “Based on my tour of impacted areas, the needs are great. Therefore, we will be reaching out to the Cayman Islands community to coordinate a drive for relief items for Jamaica,” the premier added.
The Cayman Islands will also be providing a further $200,000 for Barbados.
“We are truly blessed as a nation and people to be able to assist our brothers and sisters. Together, we can be a stronger region. The Lord spared us from Beryl that we may help,” the premier added.
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Category: Local News
How much was given
to Cayman as a British Overseas Territory fir the storm plus the services of ship and staff…to be given away to others and not used or retained for future Cayman storm damage. Should this not be investigated?
How about donating locally. Our farm, Cayman Community Farm on Hirst Road suffered an enormous amount of crop damage. If we did then other farmers did likewise. How about money for us?
Earning just 856 views on CIG Youtube channel.
Why she not wearing a mask there or only for sympathy in Cayman….
What is the saying about doing something nice for someone but not telling everyone that you’ve done it? I agree that these donations should be made but the obvious photo ops is just embarrassing. The money it cost for her and the delegation to go could have been better spent buying more supplies.
Donations in cash are fishy. I can’t believe she is flying around and carrying so much cash. What auditors and ACC think about that?
They don’t mean cash notes, they mean cash money. Just money. Money, but not paper money. It was previously reported that a cheque for CI$200,000 was given to Jamaica. Don’t know why the others wouldn’t be cheques as well. They could be fake cheques and the money is actually to be wired, or already was before they arrived. We don’t know.
“PM Ralph Gonsalves received US$500,000 in cash“
Is it even legal?
Can she unilaterally do that?
What a shameful disgrace!
Playing the saviour… with op’s cash.
She gave away so much of our money and all she brought back was a dose of COVID.
1. Her own people are suffering in Cayman.
2. We’re at the start of hurricane season. It seems irresponsible to commit so much money this early. We might need that if we face a bad storm.
3. Is there budget for this? Seems like this government has a thing for out of budget spending.
This is more than the CIG spends on domestic drug rehab in a full calendar year.
We’ll just go to the money tree and give it a shake…
How may wotes did she bring back?
The Bracker-logic hits different than West Bay with the not-even-our-own Nation Building Fund…
“PM Ralph Gonsalves received US$500,000 in cash along with $50,000 worth of supplies”
Why cash? Why not a wire transfer?
Why do they have to fly all over the place handing out funds. Just mKe a Zoom call and a Wire tfr. Also why are we helping Jamaica. They were not hit that hard and had citizens on CMR boasting that they can rebuild on their own not like Cayman. If every one of them sent $10 each they could raise 400,000 CI.
So her and her pals could get a free trip, is their something wrong with you? Grab all the goodies that you can whenever you can especially if it is someone else’s money is our motto!
You are so good at spending the peoples money, they should put a statue up of you riding Jon-Jon’s donkey!