GRENADA, reeling from the ravages of Hurricane Ivan which cut a deadly swathe through the Caribbean just more than a month ago, is on the track to recovery with the help of Guyana and other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) members and international donors. The tiny southern Caribbean island, with about 90 per cent of its housing stock damaged and the vital tourism and agriculture sectors devastated by Ivan the Terrible, is coming out of the relief phase and is into the crucial rebuilding stage, according to military and government officials. Col. George Robinson, head of some 200 Trinidad and Tobago military deployed on the island two days after the hurricane struck, said about 35 prisoners who escaped when the storm damaged the main jail, still posed a security threat. Police have issued wanted bulletins for the men and Robinson told a group of visiting journalists from Guyana this week that law and order hinges on the escaped prisoners. In the past week, he said, there were two robberies and house-breaking during the day. This is not normal by Grenada standards, he said, noting that a 21:00 hours to 05:00 hours curfew remained in force in two parishes on the island. A Guyana contingent of 100 soldiers under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Bruce Lovell is being deployed to form the Caribbean Support Group Grenada (CSGG) with forces from Trinidad and Tobago and Belize. An advance team of 22, to be seen off by President Bharrat Jagdeo, is due to leave on the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) vessel, the GDFS Essequibo tomorrow, the army announced yesterday. The ship is scheduled to arrive in Grenada on Monday with Lovell flying in on Sunday. The main body of the GDF contingent is to fly in by commercial aircraft next week, sources told the Chronicle. Robinson, who will be in command of the CSGG, said about 400 troops would be needed to back up the recovery programme on the island. They will help local authorities restore law and order and soldiers have been deployed on guard duties at key government offices and installations. Robinson said the military is also involved in distributing relief items, and restoring power, water and other supplies. He said the acquisition of building materials is the greatest challenge and Grenada needs the help of the Caribbean to restore normalcy. The need for shelter is urgent as people are trying to rebuild their houses, he told the Guyanese journalists. “I have not seen disaster on such a scale before…” The primary phase is rebuilding the housing stock and schools and government buildings, he said, adding that the situation “is coming under control”. Robinson, who arrived in Grenada two days after Ivan hit the island on September 7, said people are starting to organise “to do the work that is necessary”. “They are overcoming the trauma.” The GDF contingent heading to Grenada includes 66 masons, carpenters, electricians, welders and plumbers. The Guyana Government is also coordinating relief through the Civil Defence Commission with the Private Sector Commission and the joint response has seen the provision of humanitarian aid to Grenada by air and sea. Religious and other groups have collected donations for Grenadians in need. Some 26 containers with about 300 tons of supplies from Guyana have been shipped to the island and items are being distributed. The Guyana Government has provided some $40M in sugar supplies to the island and has promised to take secondary school students who are in final preparation for the Caribbean Advance Proficiency Examination (CAPE) from the island. Several Grenada Government officials warmly commended the Guyana Government and civic groups for the help. Senator Einstein Louison, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, told the Chronicle Guyana’s sugar donation was crucial in the aftermath of the hurricane damage. The “early disbursement” of the sugar made a lot of difference as it assured the availability of the item, he said. He said Prime Minister, Dr. Keith Mitchell, had also publicly praised Guyana’s significant and timely contributions to the Grenada relief programme. The shipment of sugar was already in Grenada and the Guyana Government converted it into a donation as part of its hurricane relief. A central figure in the critical reconstruction programme, Mr. Timothy Antoine, Permanent Secretary in the Finance and Planning Ministry, told the visiting media team that Guyana’s sugar shipment allowed the government to reduce the price of the commodity so that the most needy families were able to get supplies. “We appreciate (Guyana’s) effort”, he said, adding that the Guyana sugar contribution helped to ensure enough stocks to keep the price of the basic item down. “I recognise that that was a huge effort and sacrifice on the part of the Guyanese people and we are very grateful for your help”, he said. He agreed that an underlying priority is security but said the situation has been stabilised. At least 6,000 low income houses would have to be built to boost the housing stock and the government is trying to raise US$27M to clear and clean land and get agriculture back on track, to provide domestic security and income for farmers. Some 2,000 people have been laid off in the tourism industry with many hotels seriously damaged in the storm and Antoine estimates that rebuilding the sector can take about three years. He said the relief effort is going “quite well” and the focus now was on economic reconstruction. A government official involved in the relief effort said the government faces “a really great problem” and squatting can become a critical issue with the loss of houses. Government Minister Brenda Hood, in charge of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Culture and the Performing Arts, but coordinating the relief through the National Emergency Relief Organisation (NERO), said the largest shipment of the aid so far has come from Guyana. Officials are looking to end the “massive distribution” of food by the end of the month and concentrate on the school feeding programme and institutions, she said. The government hopes in the long term to provide housing for all those who have lost their homes, she said. She said Grenada was overwhelmed by the “amount of support” from Guyana and other countries. SOURCE: GUYANACHRONICLE.COM