The United Kingdom Secre-tary of State for International Development, Hilary Benn has announced a further US$10 million (5.5 million pounds sterling) for Grenada increasing the UK's support to US$12.6 million (7 million pounds sterling). A release from the British High Commission here yesterday said the UK's contribution, which is being made through the Department for International Development (DfID) would help the government and people of Grenada with basic services such as health care, education and local policing over the next few months. In addition to the DfID's US$12.6 million in post-Ivan assistance, the department is also providing technical assistance through its regional programme of up to US$720,000 to the Prime Minister's office to establish an agency for National Reconstruction and Development. DfID is mobilising an expert to survey the reconstruction of Parliament and government house and will consider technical assistance for the Project Management Unit proposed by the Grenada Ministry of Finance. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has also provided US$54,000 to fund emergency repairs to the prison in Grenada. The release said the devastating impact of Hurricane Ivan on the island's economy means the government would soon not be able to pay teachers' salaries or maintain other public services without help from donors. The UK started to provide assistance to Grenada in September when the hurricane first hit the island. The Royal Navy frigate HMS Richmond and Auxiliary vessel RFA Wave Ruler provided immediate medical and clearance support to the islanders in the aftermath of the hurricane. The UK also contributed US$150,000 to the Pan American Health Organisation's (PAHO) call for medical staff to the island. Other UK support included emergency supplies of water containers and plastic sheets, and US$1.26 million to the Red Cross, Christian Aid and Oxfam. The Red Cross Appeal will support 10,000 families on Grenada for the next six months by providing them with emergency food, shelter, water and sanitation, and various non-food items. Baroness Howells of St David's, the Foreign Secre-tary's Personal Envoy to Gre-nada, who visited the island two weeks after the hurricane, reported the devastation to the Foreign Secretary and Benn. Benn said the UK is determined to help the people of Grenada in their efforts to rebuild their lives. "The 7 million (pounds sterling) that the UK has now given in total will support the international relief work and ease the burden on the island's government," he said. However, he added that "the international community, especially the international finance institutions and the development banks, still needs to do more to ensure the long term development of Grenada." SOURCE: STABROEKNEWS.COM