NEW YORK, N.Y., Fri. Sept. 10: In the wake of Hurricane Ivan community leaders gathered at the New York Consulate of Grenada yesterday to discuss ways they could help their devastated homeland and urge other nationals and all Caribbeans to pitch-in. Items needed included flashlights, DC power sources, cots, tents and medical supplies. Financial contributions are also recommended and can be made payable to the Grenada Cultural & Civic Association Relief Fund at the Bank Of America; account # 005-472370974. The Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry is also appealing for help for Grenada. Roy A. Hastick, Sr., president and CEO of CAACI, yesterday, appealed “to CACCI members, friends and the wider community for assistance at this time of extreme tragedy, death, loss of lives, property and homelessness.” Hastick said he has reached out to Grenada’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Dr. Lamuel Stanislaus and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and other elected officials for help in collecting items for donation to Grenadian nationals. For further information, contact CACCI at (718) 834-4544. The Caribbean Disaster Response Unit has said people on the island are in desperate need of water, dry food supplies, tents, tarpaulins, roof material, batteries, building supplies, and construction tools. The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response is urging that all organizations interested in shipping relief supplies into Grenada notify their coordinating unit in Barbados 48 hours before intended shipment, so that arrangements can be made to receive them. The notification must state the agency from which the supplies are coming, a copy of the cargo manifest, the method of transport i.e. ship or aircraft, and the time of arrival. In the case of ship, the name of the vessel and the call signs should be submitted, CDERA said. In the case of an aircraft, the tail number and frequency on which the flight is operating should be submitted, as there is currently no air traffic control instructions. Notification should be sent to grenadarelief@cdera.org. NEW YORK GOVERNOR's OFFICE Meanwhile, sources say New York’s Governor, George Pataki’s staff is set to meet with a delegation of Caribbean counsel generals, Caribbean city elected officials and community leaders at 3 p.m. this afternoon, to discuss ways the state could help the Caribbean, especially Grenada, Jamaica and the Bahamas as it battles Hurricane Ivan. Those set for the meeting, according to the source, are NYC Councilmembers Yvette Clarke and Kendall Stewart and former Councilmember and Caribbean representative in the Office of the Governor, Una Clarke. Grenada is one of the smallest independent countries in the western hemisphere. SOURCE: HARDBEATNEWS.COM