Skerrit appeals to the world
Pausing to wipe away tears, Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit yesterday appealed to the world for help.
According to the Trinidad Express, in his first public address since Hurricane Maria’s pass over Dominica on Monday, Skerrit noted the aid efforts of Caricom neighbours but said more aerial assistance was needed, as citizens remained cut off on various parts of the island.
His address was broadcast live from Antigua yesterday through ABS TV, as Dominica’s communication network remained down.
The report said that Skerrit recounted the horror of touring what was previously described as the “nature isle” of the Caribbean, now reduced to splinters.
Noting that several regional and international governments had already come to Dominica’s aid, Looptt.com said he indicated he would be making a strong case to the wider international community for further assistance.
His voice broke and he wiped tears from his eyes as he described a country in which no household – regardless of income level – was left untouched by the punishing winds and deluge of water brought to the island as the eye of Maria passed directly over the island on Monday night.
“Every part of Dominica has received a serious beating – if not by wind, then by water,” he said.
So far 15 persons had
been buried, with 20 persons reported missing and more areas still to be visited.But while the death toll is expected to climb, PM Skerrit said, “It is a miracle that there were not hundreds of deaths.”
According to the Barbados Nation, aid to Dominica started to trickle in Wednesday, with the Barbados Coast Guard vessel HMBS Leonard C. Banfield arriving just after 9 a.m. with a Barbados Fire Service Search and Rescue team, food, water, and medical supplies.
Expected to follow today is a team from the Caribbean Emergency Disaster Management Agency (CDEMA) and the HMBS Rudyard Lewis, with more supplies.