Tobagonians need to dig deeper and donate to help our Caribbean neighbours, who have been devastated by recent hurricanes.

Outreach efforts to unaffected islands have been made and persons are being asked to help their Caribbean neighbors rebuild their lives through monetary contributions or donations of tangible goods including canned food, medical and hygienic supplies, and clothing.

“There has been a trail of devastation across member states of Caricom,” Director of the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) Allan Stewart said.

“A number of them are devastated, to mention a few the BVI, Barbuda, 95 percent of their infrastructure have been impacted, [there are] a number of people without food and water, their livelihoods have been destroyed completely, universities are in a chaos at this state in many of the islands. This has impacted the young and the old.”

Stewart said the hurricanes have left “a trail of devastation and death.”

While damage assessments and multiple needs analysis are being undertaken, the Caribbean community are being asked “to rise to the occasion to provide the necessary support” as TEMA  coordinates the relief effort in Tobago.

Persons are asked to make monetary donations via the Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross Society disaster relief fund account at Republic Bank, Account Number 180482517101.

In addition, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency hasorganized a needs lists. Help those affected through tangible donations at TEMA’s headquarters at the Fairfield Complex, Scarborough or Disaster Relief Warehouse at Signal Hill.

Items to be donated include: canned foods with a six-month shelf life, new clothing, ablutionary items, such as soap and detergent, emergency supplies such as batteries and tarpaulins.