Residents in Senior Citizens Home in Carriacou to Be Relocated

ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada – Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell says government says it has agreed to relocate in the first instance, three categories of vulnerable people to mainland Grenada as the Grenadine Islet of Carriacou continues to adjust following the passage of Hurricane Beryl.

Hurricane damage in CarriacouSenior citizens in a residential home, pregnant women who have passed their due date for delivery as well as those who are close to delivery date and vulnerable members of society such as disabled will be the first to be relocated from Carriacou and Petite Martinique.

The category four hurricane with occasional wind gusts of more than 150 miles per hour destroyed approximately 98 per cent of the housing stock on the 13 square miles island. The eyes of the hurricane pass over the island causing widespread damage and most of the residents are now rendered as homeless.

Prime Minister Mitchell said that most of the residents are living in shelters including the residents of the only senior citizens’ home that currently houses at least  20 people.

“We are evacuating and moving them to Grenada,” Mitchell told reporter, adding that the  government is actively considering using 100 homes that were gifted to the island in the aftermath of the 2004 Hurricane Ivan from the Chinese Government as temporary housing facilities for several people who are homeless or who are assisting in providing technical assistance to start the rebuilding of properties on the island.