CIB Partners with Croydon BME Forum to Distribute Care Packages and School Supplies in St Elizabeth

More than 350 care packages and school supplies were distributed in three areas in St. Elizabeth on January 22, to assist with recovery efforts following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa on October 28 last year.

This was done through a partnership between the Coconut Industry Board (CIB) and Croydon Black Minority Ethnic (BME) Forum.

Community members of Middle Quarters and Parottee benefited, while donations and care packages were also delivered to the St. Elizabeth Infirmary in Santa Cruz.

Boxes of school supplies as well as care packages were also handed over to the Middle Quarters Primary School.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Croydon BME Forum in the United Kingdon, Dr. Andrew Brown, said his team of four came to Jamaica to fulfil the promise made to help the people affected.

“We started on the day after the hurricane hit Jamaica and within two weeks we recruited 450 volunteers. We also connected with 50 schools, colleges and churches where we had done a donation drive gathering about 350,000 to 400,000 pounds of goods. Jamaica is loved by so many people. We got donations from people in Croydon but all the way also from people in Newcastle, which is six hours from London,” he noted.

Dr. Brown was speaking in an interview with JIS News at the St. Elizabeth Infirmary on January 22.

The hurricane left many Jamaicans in the western end of the island with damaged homes and properties, while some lost everything.

Distributed were food, work tools, toiletries, water, clothing, solar lamps, personal hygiene items, feminine hygiene products, infant supplies and other things from one of two containers shipped to the island.

Dr. Brown said that the plan is to continue supporting those in need over the long term.

“We don’t just want it to be a one-off; we want it to continue and to help rebuild Jamaica, so when we go back to the UK it is one of the next steps, and to continue working with the Coconut Industry Board to see how we can continue the awesome effort that we’ve done over the past three months,” he said.

Research Director for the CIB, Dr. Wayne Myrie, said when the Board saw the devastation in the communities, it became a priority to assist.

“I am overwhelmed and feel a sense of happiness that this could have been a reality. This aligns with our mandate perfectly… . The items we have brought here I am sure the community will welcome this gesture because we cannot give enough to persons who have lost everything,” he said.

“We will also be going to Westmoreland, as The Manning School was severely affected; so, we are also going to be doing distribution there,” he continued.

Dr. Myrie expressed gratitude to the partners involved for seeing the process through from conception to execution.

“I want to thank the Jamaica Information Service for coming with us today for this distribution, the police that offered security for us as well, Croydon BME Forum and, of course, the CIB team. That partnership has blossomed into what we have here today,” he said.

Community member from Middle Quarters, Shenika Wright, was happy to see aid coming into her community.

“I am very elated about what happened. We are grateful for the things that they came and gave us. It is well needed. It has been a long time since the storm passed, so probably what people had is finished, so these what we are getting now they come in good time and we are grateful for it,” she said.

Croydon BME Forum is the umbrella organisation for Croydon’s Black and Minority Ethnic voluntary and community sector, engaging people, building capacity, and promoting equality and cohesion.

It is a registered Charity and Company Limited by guarantee.

The Coconut Industry Board is a statutory body established by the Coconut Industry Control Act of 1945.

It is responsible for monitoring and informing the Government of Jamaica of the state of the coconut industry, advising growers of agronomic best practices, and providing quality planting materials.