Coast Guard provides swift aid to Dominica

As part of ongoing relief efforts to assist hurricane-devastated Dominica, the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) is calling on public interested in donating clothing, non-perishable food and other supplies to drop off at designated points.

This according to a release issued by the TTDF today (Thursday), in which it officially announced that at 7.45 am on Wednesday, the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG) vessel, TTS Moruga CG 27, departed Staubles Bay, Chaguaramas, bound for Dominica with relief supplies and personnel.

The vessel was expected to arrive around 7.45 am today because, depending on sea conditions, it would have taken 20 to 24 hours for the vessel to reach Dominica.

The TTS Moruga transported "food, water, generators and many more items that were donated and collected from various stakeholders at various locations throughout TT. The 21-member crew and a 21-member disaster relief team onboard the TTCG vessel will assist in securing and managing the distribution of relief items," the TTDF stated.

Newsday understands that the TTS Moruga will likely remain there for a week before returning to Trinidad while another TTCG vessel may very well be used to transport donated items to Dominica. A departure date for that other vessel has not yet been determined.

The TTDF has arranged seven drop off locations in Trinidad and two in Tobago (see list below).

For further information, the public is advised to contact the TTDF's Disaster Relief Hotlines for general enquiries at 271-3372, 271-3377 or 271-3378.

Trinidad locations:
Cruise Ship Complex, Port-of-Spain, Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 2 pm;
TTPost Piarco, Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 11.30 am and 1 pm to 2 pm;
Is There Not A Cause (ICNAC), #6A Anderson Street, St James, from 8 am to 8 pm;
Tribe Carnival, #20 Rosalino Street, Woodbrook, Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 8 pm;
Living Water Community, #109 Frederick St, Port-of-Spain (no times given);
Regimental Headquarters, Aranjuez, from 7 am to 2 pm; and
Camp Serrette (Camp La Romaine), M2 Ring Rd, La Romaine, Monday to Thursday, from 7 am to 2 pm.

Tobago locations:
Camp Signal Hill, Signal Hill, Monday to Friday, from 8 am to 3 pm; and
TTCG Base, Milford Road, Scarborough, 8 am to 3 pm.