18/10/2017
Last week one of our colleagues travelled to Dominica to deliver relief supplies directly to our colleagues and their families. Below is a brief personal account of his journey:
“On Friday at 11am, a group comprised of myself, special services unit personnel of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, local Fire and Emergency personnel, two Dominican nationals and members of the Coast Guard left Saint Lucia for Roseau, Dominica.
The vessel was loaded to maximum carrying capacity with relief supplies, including water, food items, non-perishables, personal survival kits, water purification tablets, medication, tarps and generators.
On approach to Roseau, the signs of the recent destruction were very visible, as the island seemed to be covered by a reddish/brownish hue as a result of the majority of the trees having been battered, debarked and stripped of all leaves.
There was smoke emanating from multiple points caused by fires set to burn debris and waste collected by persons helping in the cleaning-up effort.
We were advised to dock in Fond Cole, a familiar site for me as part of the compound was used as a port reception depot for Winfresh produce.
Two miles out from the dock, one could smell the stench left in the wake of the hurricane destruction. Almost every house or physical structure in sight seemed to have been dealt a major blow.
Pulling up to the dock alongside other coast guard and naval vessels involved in the relief effort, we were all taken aback by the scale of the destruction as none of us had ever witnessed such destruction.
Unfortunately, by the time we had docked, it was after 6:00 pm and the mandatory curfew imposed the government had taken effect so most persons who were supposed to receive relief supplies from us were forced to remain at home. However, within minutes of docking the word seemed to have spread and a small crowd had gathered to receive supplies.
Immediately, everyone on board pitched in to start the process of unloading the vessel and distribute the items to those who were there, under the guidance of the captain.
Items were distributed to the Red Cross, Ministry of Health, Fire and Emergency department, Coast Guard and other.
The mobile networks were largely inoperative and so I was unable to get through to any of our colleagues or directors apart from one who eventually came up at the port in order to receive the supplies.
After two trips transporting the supplies to the residence of one of our colleagues, we proceeded to drive to the community of Cochran where another colleague resides.
Although it was very dark because of the island-wide power outage, which is expected to continue until December, I was able to get a first-hand view of the devastating effects of the hurricane.
On the way to Cochran, it was evident that every single house showed signs of significant damage, the most common of which was blown off roof. In some cases, the entire structure was moved or completely destroyed. The roads were littered with fallen lamp poles, power lines, branches and all sorts of debris, and some were rendered completely impassable as they were blocked by silt several feet deep or they had been severely eroded.
We were not able to locate one of our colleagues that night, as his roof was blown off during the storm and he and his family had moved in with other friends and family in the area.
Unable to find him we returned to our first colleague's residence to turn in for the night. His house had also suffered significant damage with a blown off roof but we were able to stay in a ground floor apartment.
The following day we were up early and immediately proceeded back to Cochran with supplies for our colleague there. With the assistance of persons in the neighbourhood, we were finally able to locate him and provided him with some of the supplies, while he shared with us his and his neighbours experiences of the hurricane.
We all returned to the port in Fond Cole for the vessel's 8:00am departure.”
