While the Government of Belize launched an appeal to collect cash donations to support the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines affected by the eruption of the La SouFriere Volcano, the National Garifuna Council (NGC) is also organizing a donation.
The NGC shares their solidarity for the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines who continue to be affected by the volcano’s eruption and are seeking the assistance of the public for financial contributions. Any contribution can deposit into the National Garifuna Council Scotiabank account number 1939304. Monies collected will then be forwarded to their partners in St. Vincent on behalf of Belize.
The Garifuna in Belize arrived in the 1830s from St. Vincent. They were exiled from their home island and ended up in places like Honduras, Guatemala, and eventually Belize. Garifuna people mainly live in the coastal areas of Belize and make up a considerable part of Belizean history and culture.
The latest report from St. Vincent is that thousands of persons continue to be affected by the eruption. The Government of Belize welcomes Vincentians who are forced to evacuate their homes due to the seismic activity and may have ties to Belize through family or friends. Those coming to Belize must travel under the determined requirements for entry, including COVID-19 protocols. The Government will also provide humanitarian resources as required to assist with the disaster response plan on the ground.
Belize’s National Emergency Management Organization has been in touch with their counterparts in St. Vincent as they follow the situation. Belize stands in full solidarity with St. Vincent and the Grenadines during these dual crises presented by disaster response and offered its full support to the Vincentians.
The National Garifuna Council offers their prayers for the continued safety of who they considered their brothers and sisters living in their ancestral land – St Vincent and the Grenadines (Yurumein).
