St Vincent and the Grenadines and St Lucia stands to benefit from a 409 thousand dollar donation from the European Commission to aid in the rebuilding effort….

St Vincent and the Grenadines and St Lucia are expected to benefit from a 409-thousand dollar donation from the European Commission to assist with the re-building effort, in the wake of the devastation caused by the Christmas trough system.

The funding, announced by the European Commission’s Department of Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection, aims to “bring immediate relief to the population most affected by floods”

In a statement, the Commission said damage in the Eastern Caribbean has been very significant, mainly because the Low Level Trough System unexpectedly occurred outside the Atlantic Hurricane Season.

Head of the Commission’s Caribbean office, Jocelyn Lance, said the European Commission wants to help the emergency relief effort with this immediate allocation of aid.

The funding will be mostly channeled through the Red Cross National Societies of both countries.

The Commission said two-thirds of the funding will be granted to the Pan American Health Organization to restore health services.

It said the immediate priorities were access to safe water and sanitation, with the potential for an increase in water and vector-borne diseases “of concern.”