Sandals Resorts International Chairman Gordon “Butch” Stewart on Friday announced that he is giving a personal donation of EC$150,000 to assist the children of Barbuda, the Eastern Caribbean island ravaged by Hurricane Irma two weeks ago.
“Stewart’s donation will be made to the Sandals Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Sandals group, which will work with the Ministry of Education in Antigua & Barbuda to directly assist Barbudan students who were evacuated due to the devastating effect of Hurricane Irma,” a news release from Sandals Foundation said.
“We are a Caribbean company and these are our people. These children, along with their families, have been tremendously affected. We have to inspire hope in all those who have endured so much this past week,” the release quoted Stewart, whose first Sandals resort outside of Jamaica was on Barbuda’s sister island of Antigua 25 years ago.
“As Caribbean neighbors we must do all we can to let them know we are here to support them in rebuilding their lives,” added Stewart, who is also chairman of the Jamaica Observer.
Sandals Foundation Executive Director Heidi Clarke explained that, with this donation, the immediate priority is to provide the students with school uniforms and supplies which they will need to start school as soon as possible in Antigua. Once a full assessment of the situation in Barbuda is complete, the foundation will then work with the Ministry of Education to address long-term needs such as assisting with school rebuilding projects on the island.
“Having just returned from a survey trip to these hurricane-ravaged islands, I can confirm first-hand that the destruction is unimaginable,” the news release quoted Clarke. “This extremely generous donation by our Sandals Resorts chairman will effectively jump-start the recovery efforts. We invite others to join us in the immense relief and recovery operation that lies ahead,” she added.
Since last Monday, Sandals Foundation has been providing first-response relief of food to people housed in shelters in Turks and Caicos, while simultaneously promoting its international online fund-raising drive through its websitesandalsfoundation.org to collect donations for ongoing disaster relief work in Turks and Caicos, Antigua and Barbuda, and The Bahamas.
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