Relief supplies pile-up for Dominica

The Muslim community is seeking to send a shipment of 1,000 crates of concrete blocks to hurricane-ravaged Dominica which is due to leave our shores by October 5 on a barge.

Through the ASH-NAD Foundation based at Cipero Road, south Trinidad, a collection drive for other building materials is also underway in conjunction with the Islamic Broadcasting Network (IBN) and the Barakah Foundation. One of the coordinators of the drive, Ashmead Ali, said yesterday that the loading of the vessel will begin on October 3 at the docks in Port of Spain.

Ali, of the ASH-NAD Foundation, is donating the services of a barge, which he told Newsday yesterday, can carry relief supplies to Dominica with a total capacity of 5,000 tonnes. He issued an appeal to the muslim community in the light of Imam Mushtaq Sulaimani’s call at Friday prayers in San Fernando, to donate building materials, clothing and food supplies. “In addition to the 1,000 crates of blocks, the barge is of 5,000 capacity tonnes.. This is an urgent request in which we are asking all companies, organisations and school boards, to donate relief supplies. We just want to load 5,000 tonnes. You get the stuff, we will send trucks to collect,” Ali said.

Ali said that when the barge is loaded to capacity, he, together with other members of the muslim community, will be onboard the vessel for the journey to Dominica.

Sulaimani, in delivering the sermon at the Mucurapo Street mosque, called on the muslim community to heed the suffering of Dominicans where most of the homes of people were destroyed by hurricane Maria. The lack of foodstuffs and drinking water has rendered the country a disaster zone. Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has called on this country’s citizens to open their homes if they have relatives and friends there who are in need of immediate help.

Ali said that members of the muslim community or persons of other faiths, can deposit supplies at the ASH-NAD Foundation at the 590 Cipero Road, Cross Crossing, on the outskirts of San Fernando.

Inshan Ishmael, who heads Barakah Foundation and IBN, said yesterday he was indeed overwhelmed by the number of donations already received. Ismael said, “We have one of the largest collection drive. We have tonnes of clothing, diapers, water, pharmaceuticals and foodstuffs. And, I want to add, we saw several members of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, donating as well.”