British Virgin Islands Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley has pledged nearly $500,000 USD (1,068,000 XCD) to aid Hurricane Beryl recovery efforts in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada. Each country will receive $200,000 USD.
The announcement was made during the opening of the OECS Environmental Sustainability Exhibition at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College on July 24, 2024.
Dr. Wheatley highlighted the severe damage caused by Hurricane Beryl, which led to the postponement of the OECS Council of Ministers meeting initially scheduled for July 3-4.
Dr. Wheatley expressed deep empathy for the affected countries, recalling the Virgin Islands’ own recovery from hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.
The two-day OECS meeting focused on support for impacted member states and the urgent need for resilience in the face of climate change.
