ExxonMobil donates $2m to flood relief

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon yesterday morning said that the Government welcomes the $2M donation from ExxonMobil Guyana towards the relief efforts for the residents and communities affected by the recent flooding due to overtopping of the sea defences on the West Coast of Demerara.

Harmon, who holds responsibility for the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), expressed the Government’s appreciation to all members of the private sector, including ExxonMobil, who have made resources available to the CDC to support its work, a Ministry of the Presidency press release said today.

Meanwhile, Suzanne De Abreu, ExxonMobil Guyana’s Community Relations Manager, said that the company considers its community relationships an essential element of its business. “We have been continuously impressed by Guyana’s Civil Defence Commission and their ability to respond in real-time to distress caused by natural disasters around the country. ExxonMobil is proud to offer assistance, through the CDC, to the West Demerara residents whose lives have been affected by the flooding. We are glad there was a way we could help,” De Abreu said.

The release said that Harmon also extended gratitude to other private sector entities, who also contributed to the relief efforts including the BK Group of Companies, which provided assistance to the residents of Sea View, Stewartville by creating a secondary drain between the sea defence and the housing area to channel the run off of water from the land. Banks DIH Limited donated 300 small boxes of crackers, 75 cases of water (1-litre bottles) and 150 cases of small aqua mist water.

The release said that the Bakewell Bakery donated 300 loaves of bread and tennis rolls for the feeding programme at the shelters while the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s Uitvlugt Sugar Estate provided the services of its caterers and kitchen to help in the preparation of meals. The estate also offered the CDC the use of its community centre as an emergency shelter.

The Camex Restaurants Incorporated under its Church’s Chicken and Pollo Tropical brands, helped in the provision of meals at the emergency shelters by donating 100 lunches while the Demerara Charitable Foundation assisted in the mobilisation of donations from the private sector towards the relief effort.