Following the passage of Tropical Storm Erika on Thursday, 27th August, 2015, the President’s Charities Foundation Incorporated decided to launch the President’s Charities Foundation (Erika) Relief Fund with the intention of raising US$100,000.00, equivalent to (EC$270,000.00), with a start-up amount of twenty-seven thousand Eastern Caribbean dollars (EC$27,000.00) contributed by the President’s Charities Foundation Reserve Fund. The objective of the Relief Fund was to provide medium term relief and comfort to the families, more particularly school children, who reside in two of the worst affected communities on the West Coast, namely, Colihaut and Coulibistrie and also to the Operation Youth Quake and the Community Hostels Incorporated, formerly known as the Grotto Home for the Homeless.
A special (Erika) Relief Fund Sub-Committee composed of eight (8) members; four (4) members of the President’s Charities Foundation and four (4) from the Private Sector was established, to coordinate this venture.
The Members were:-
- Mrs. Shermaine Green Brown – (Chairperson)
- Mr. Antoine Raffoul
- Mrs. Jennifer White
- Mr. Oliver St. John
- Mr. Jeffrey Baptiste
- Mr. Damian Whitchurch-Aird
- Mr. Julius C. Corbette
- Mr. Hilkiah Lavinier
To facilitate the fundraising effort, a President’s Charities Foundation Erika Relief Fund Account Number 115004096, Swift Address NCBMDMDM was set up at the National Commercial Bank of Dominica. Local and regional businesses contributed generously to the President’s Charities Foundation (Erika) Relief Fund. Contributions had been received from thirteen (13) sources, bringing the total contributions to a figure of two hundred and five thousand six hundred and eighty Eastern Caribbean Dollars and thirty-nine cents (EC$205,680.39).
The funds were utilized for its intended purpose as outlined in the attached Statement. Monies disbursed from the account totalled two hundred and five thousand six hundred and eighty Eastern Caribbean Dollars and thirty-nine cents (EC$205,680.39).
The following are the details of the disbursements made by the Erika Relief Fund Sub-Committee:
- On 1st July, 2016, fifty-eight (58) gallons of Sisson Paint which was donated by Ansa Coatings Limited, towards the refurbishment of the Colihaut Primary School was handed to the Ministry of Education. The pain was valued at a cost of EC$2,173.52.
- On 18th July, 2016, a cheque in the amount of EC$60,000.00 was presented to the Ministry of Education to be put towards the resurfacing of the fore court at the Coulibistrie Primary School into a multipurpose court;
- Fifty-nine (59) louvered windows were sourced from Oran Ltd. In Barbados, for the Colihaut Primary School in the amount of EC$39,726.91;
- Sixty-five (65) student’s desks and chairs, five (5) filing cabinets and five (5) teacher’s desks and chairs were ordered from a Company in China for the Colihaut Primary School costing EC$28,962.06;
- Sixteen (16) doors were purchased from Speciality Making and Materials Ltd., for the Colihaut Primary School and installed by the same Company. This was at a cost of EC$23,927.55;
- A new septic tank and soak away system was constructed for the Grotto Home for the Homeless at Bellevue Rawle and also covering the cost of the transportation of excavated materials from the new site of the Grotto Home at a cost of $EC$22,475.80;
- EC22,980.00 was donated towards the farm development project of the Operation Youth Quake for: (a) Building two (2) terraces of sloping land at the back of the Operation Youth Quake to create more land space;
(b) The development of the farm at the Operation Youth Quake at a cost of EC$5,434.55; and
A total amount of EC$205,680.39 were disbursed from the Erika Relief Fund Account. As at 17th November, 2016, the President’s Charities Foundation Erika Relief Fund Account Number 115004096 at the National Commercial Bank of Dominica reflected a zero balance.
A copy of the Closing Statement of the Erika Relief Account is attached.
At a Meeting of the President’s Foundation (Erika) Relief Sub-Committee which was held on Monday, 19th December, 2016 it was decided that the Sub-Committee be dissolved with immediate effect. At that Meeting the Closing Statement of the President’s Charities Foundation (Erika) Relief Fund Account was presented, circulated among the members and finalized.
At the winding up Meeting of the Sub-Committee, which was held on Monday, 19th December, 2016, His Excellency expressed his thanks to all the members for agreeing to serve on the committee and his satisfaction with what had developed following the formation of the Sub-Committee. His Excellency further expressed his deep appreciation to the members of the Sub-Committee for their hard work and commitment which aided the Foundation in achieving its objectives.
His Excellency expressed his thanks and gratitude to both the local and regional businesses and individuals who contributed towards the Erika Relief Fund. He remarked that although the response could have been greater, particularly from the local Private Sector, nonetheless, considering all of the circumstances, he was satisfied with the Committee’s achievements.
Upon the dissolution of the Sub-Committee, an invitation was extended to the four (4) non-Foundation members namely:-
- Mr. Jeffrey Baptiste
- Mr. Damian Whitchurch-Aird
- Mr. Julius C. Corbette
- Mr. Hilkiah Lavinier
to serve on the President’s Charities Foundation, to which they willingly agreed.
Mrs. Shermaine Green-Brown
Chairperson
President’s Charities Foundation (Erika) Relief Fund Sub-Committee