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UN / ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES FUNDING APPEAL
STORY: UN / ST VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES FUNDING APPEAL
TRT: 5:10
SOURCE: UNIFEED / BajanPro/UNB’dosEC
RESTRICTION: PLEASE CREDIT FOOTAGE FROM BajanPro/UNB’dosEC
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 20 APRIL 2021, NEW YORK CITY / APRIL 2021, SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
RECENT – NEW YORK CITY
1.Wide shot, United Nations Headquarters
20 APRIL 2021, NEW YORK CITY
2.Wide shot, press briefing room
3.SOUNDBITE (English) Didier Trebucq, UN Resident Coordinator:
“Basically, this UN global funding appeal that we are launching today intends to mobilize the solidary from the international community. For the response that we cover some of the needs, some of the gaps only for the next six months. So we are launching today the US 29.2 million dollars global solidarity fund, this is to protect the most vulnerable people that has been displaced, and also the effect that this crisis is having in all the neighboring countries. So, the objective is to really scale up the humanitarian assistance, and to initiate as soon as possible the recovery.”
4.Wide shot, press briefing room
5.SOUNDBITE (English) Didier Trebucq, UN Resident Coordinator:
“We also have to look at the part of delivery of the education system, so that it is not being disrupted. We would like to recall that many of the evacuees are sheltered in schools, so we need to look at this issue of course very specifically. Then five, the need to strengthen the health services to prevent the spread of COVID, and of course address the environmental concerns with the ashes. Six, a very important area relates to the cleanup of the ashes across the island, including with the equipment and expertise. The seventh area that we have to proposing in this appeal is related to the protection of the most vulnerable, who are currently in precarious condition, but may not be able to return immediately, so this is also preventing gender based violence, ensuring child protection amongst others.”
6.Wide shot, press briefing room
7.SOUNDBITE (English) Didier Trebucq, UN Resident Coordinator:
“We are dealing with a crisis within the COVID crisis, and we fear of the risk of spike of the COVID cases with people in shelters. This is a very complex situation. There could be more eruptions, the situation can deteriorate very rapidly, the hurricane season is about to start in six weeks, and it has already been predicted to be the above average, so we need to avoid a multiple crisis scenario. Greater international support is needed. That will allow for us to rapidly scale up, as I said, and support the government to respond to this growing humanitarian crisis that is unfolding before our eyes.”
8.Wide shot, press briefing room
9.SOUNDBITE (English) Didier Trebucq, UN Resident Coordinator:
“The only describe the impact of the ashes in some places reached 10 to 15 inches, and the rambling combined with rain over the past days has really apocalyptic, I really want to use the word apocalyptic and desolate.”
10.Wide shot, press briefing room
11.SOUNDBITE (English) Didier Trebucq, UN Resident Coordinator:
“Many routes that have collapsed, the roads have been turned into tracks, for example there was a crew in St. David have no more routes, and this is due again to the accumulation of the ashes. Saint Vincent is very reliant on agriculture, the crops are all devastated in this part of the island. Animals that are wondering have been affected of course, very very heavily. And this is going to have a critical impact on the economy sector of course of the island. Needless to talk about the tourism.”
12. Wide shot, press briefing room
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:
“We are hoping that these donations turn into substantial support because without the help, we cannot build back. We have the social solidarity and institutional arrangement on the ground to build back stronger, but we need more technical support and good resources. The immediate humanitarian problem, humanitarian relief is critical, and we are working on these things.”
FOOTAGE - BajanPro/UNB’dosEC – APRIL 2021, SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
13. Various shots, drone shots of ashes on the island
14. Various shots, Didier Trebucq and Prime Minister visiting the site
15. Various shots, people cleaning ashes
16. Various shots, ashes on the island
The UN launched a (USD) 29.2 million global funding appeal to aid citizens of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines affected by the major eruptions spewing from La Soufrière volcano, pledging to remain a “steadfast partner”.
Speaking to reporters today (20 Apr) via a video link, UN Didier Trebucq, UN Resident Coordinator said, “Basically, this UN global funding appeal that we are launching today intends to mobilize the solidary from the international community. For the response that we cover some of the needs, some of the gaps only for the next six months.”
The UN Resident Coordinator explained that the funding will provide immediate lifesaving humanitarian assistance, including clean water, and support a sustainable recovery for everyone impacted.
The UN and partners will also assess the economic, social and environmental toll on all the countries touched by the fallout, including ash removal and improving environmental health provisions.
Another UN priority is to continue preventing the spread of COVID-19.
Trebucq also said that many of the evacuees are sheltered in schools, “we need to look at this issue of course very specifically. Then five, the need to strengthen the health services to prevent the spread of COVID, and of course address the environmental concerns with the ashes.”
He added, “Six, a very important area relates to the cleanup of the ashes across the island, including with the equipment and expertise. The seventh area that we have to proposing in this appeal is related to the protection of the most vulnerable, who are currently in precarious condition, but may not be able to return immediately, so this is also preventing gender based violence, ensuring child protection amongst others.”
The UN Resident Coordinator also said,“we are dealing with a crisis within the COVID crisis, and we fear of the risk of spike of the COVID cases with people in shelters. This is a very complex situation. There could be more eruptions, the situation can deteriorate very rapidly, the hurricane season is about to start in six weeks, and it has already been predicted to be the above average.
He reiterated, “we need to avoid a multiple crisis scenario. Greater international support is needed. That will allow for us to rapidly scale up, as I said, and support the government to respond to this growing humanitarian crisis that is unfolding before our eyes.”
Trebucq stated that the ashes in some places “reached 10 to 15 inches, and the rambling combined with rain over the past days has really apocalyptic.”
The UN Resident Coordinator also said, “many routes that have collapsed, the roads have been turned into tracks, for example there was a crew in St. David have no more routes, and this is due again to the accumulation of the ashes.”
He stated, “Saint Vincent is very reliant on agriculture, the crops are all devastated in this part of the island. Animals that are wondering have been affected of course, very very heavily. And this is going to have a critical impact on the economy sector of course of the island. Needless to talk about the tourism.”
Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines also briefed the reporters via video link.
He said, “we are hoping that these donations turn into substantial support because without the help, we cannot build back. We have the social solidarity and institutional arrangement on the ground to build back stronger, but we need more technical support and good resources. The immediate humanitarian problem, humanitarian relief is critical, and we are working on these things.”
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, located in the southern Caribbean, consists of more than 30 islands and cays, nine of which are inhabited.
At 4,000 feet or 1,220 metres tall, La Soufrière dominates the largest island of Saint Vincent. Silent since 1979, the volcano began spewing smoke and rumbling in December, before a full-blown eruption on 9 April.
With over 12,700 evacuees now registered in public shelters and in private homes, close to 20,000 people are expected to be displaced.
Entire villages have been covered in ash, buildings damaged, schools and businesses closed, crops and livestock destroyed, and residents left with limited access to clean drinking water.
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