SVG ships half a million pounds of flour to Cuba

**L-R:** ECGC CEO, J. Robert Cato, ECGC Export Manager, Rachel Haslam, Senator Keisal Peters, Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade, H. E. Carlos Etcheverry and Consul Wendy Etcheverry. Photo from ECGC.

By Admin. Updated 8:23 p.m., Wednesday, March 27, 2024, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) has shipped some XCD $700,000 worth of flour to Cuba as a gift as food shortages continue in the Spanish-speaking Caribbean Island.

In a March 27 press release, the East Caribbean Group of Companies – ECGC, said it facilitated the major shipment of flour to the Republic of Cuba, a gift from the Government of SVG, valued at over EC$700,000.00.

“The first shipment of flour containers left the Campden Parkport on Sunday, with an additional shipment to follow within the next fortnight. This will complete the total gift amount of some 500,000lbs of the quality product, Cream of the Islands Flour, for which the company is renowned,” the release stated.

According to the release, Company CEO, J. Robert Cato said, “We have worked withthe Office of Prime Minister Dr. Hon. Ralph Gonsalves, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Senator Keisal Peters, and new Cuban Ambassador, Carlos Etcheverry, to expediate this assistance to the Cuban people.” He added, “We will ship a total of 10 containers in this initiative.”

“The move by ECGC is the second such major shipment in twoyears, and comes as support to the Republic of Cuba fromGovernment of SVG, who has been the beneficiary of assistance from the people of Cuba in the areas of healthcare, engineering, and agricultural technology among others, over the decades since SVG established diplomatic relations with the Government of Cuba,” the release stated.

According to a February 29 report from the BBC, Cuba’s government, for the first time, asked the UN’s food programme for help as food shortages on the Communist-run island worsened.

“The World Food Programme (WFP) said it had received an unprecedented official request from the Cuban government for help providing powdered milk to children under seven years of age,” the BBC article stated.

“The request is a sign of the seriousness of Cuba’s economic crisis,” the article said.