DOMINICA — The Sint Maarten Nature Foundation, in collaboration with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, assisted in the delivery of Humanitarian Relief Supplies to Hurricane stricken Dominica. The Sint Maarten Nature Foundation was contacted by Sea Shepherd informing that they would be delivering Hurricane Irma relief supplies to Sint Maarten, more specifically veterinary and animal supplies, and that they would next be sailing to Dominica.
With the Assistance of the Dominica Foundation, Mr. Romain Laville, The Ministry of Justice, Port Sint Maarten, the Fire Department and Customs, the two organizations were able to depart with some two tons of supplies to Dominica aboard the Sea Shepherd Ship John Paul Dejoria. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is a direct action marine conservation NGO made famous by the Documentary Whale Wars.
After the destruction caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria the John Paul Dejoria was diverted from its activities in Central America to provide assistance and relief to the disaster stricken Caribbean region.
En route to Dominica the ship made supply stops in St. Barths and Guadeloupe, where representatives of the Regional Activities Center of the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife section of the UN Caribbean Environment Program also loaded relief supplies on the vessel donated by their staff.
Supplies were then delivered to schools, hospitals, village councils and the Cabarets Marine Management Area in Dominica; “After Hurricane Irma struck Sint Maarten Dominica came to our aid, so when we had the opportunity to do the same after Maria we jumped at the opportunity,” commented Tadzio Bervoets, Managing Director of the Sint Maarten Nature Foundation. “We also were able to load additional supplies in St. Barth and Guadeloupe and subsequently accompanied the cargo to Dominica.
We have always worked closely with the Conservation Community in the region, including in Dominica, and we were able to provide relief for Tan Tan village, home of the Cabrits Marine Park.
We also distributed Supplies to the Point Michel Village Council and various other groups organized by the Sint Maarten Dominica Association. As Caribbean Nationals we are facing the effects of a changing climate and only through mutual cooperation on a national, regional and international scale will we be able to mitigate the effects Climate Change will have on the Caribbean,” concluded Bervoets.
