Venezuela continues to assist Dominica in its post hurricane Dean recovery effort

Roseau, Dominica – September 6, 2007………. The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has once again come to the aid of Dominica as the country continues to recover from the passage of Hurricane Dean.

On Tuesday, September 4, 2007, Ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to Dominica, Her Excellency, Carmen Martinez De Grijalva presented a consignment of materials and supplies to the Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, Hon. Rayburn Blackmoore.

The materials and supplies included shovels, wheel barrows, picks, mosquito nets and quantities of food.

This gesture by Venezuela is in addition to the medical supplies, food and water provided by the Venezuelan Government within days of the passage of Hurricane Dean.

In addition, a team of Venezuelan engineers working on the Air Access Expansion Programme at the Melville Hall Airport also assisted in the clearing of roads blocked by landslides and fallen trees following the passage of the hurricane.

Venezuela also dispatched a team of twenty volunteers to Dominica to conduct an assessment of the damage done by Dean.

On August 17, 2007 Dominica was struck by the Category Two hurricane. It caused widespread damage to the island’s agricultural sector, which contributes over 20% to the island’s GDP and significant damage to road infrastructure.