♪ MUSIC ♪ >>GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES, FROM OUR HOME STUDIOS.

I'M DAVID DUMKE.

>>AND I'M KATIE CORONADO, WELCOME.

>>ON APRIL 9TH, A DEVASTATING VOLCANO ERUPTED IN ST. VINCENT AN ISLAND IN THE THE EASTERN CARIBBEAN.

AS A RESULT OF THAT VOLCANO, 20,000 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LEFT HOMELESS OUT OF A TOTAL POPULATION OF 110,000.

TODAY WE ARE JOINED BY A VERY SPECIAL GUEST, THE PRIME MINISTER ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES PRIME MINISTER RALPH GONSALVES.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US PRIME MINISTER.

>>THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>>PRIME MINISTER, WOULD YOU PLEASE TELL US WHAT THE SITUATION IS LIKE AT THIS MOMENT ON THE ISLAND?

>>FINE.

FIRST OF ALL, THE NORTHERN ONE THIRD OF THE COUNTRY, THE ISLAND OF ST. VINCENT IS DESOLATE.

AND WE HAVE EVACUATED SOME 20,000 PERSONS, NOT 40, ABOUT 1/5 OF THE POPULATION OF ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES.

SINCE THE 22ND, WHICH IS SIX OR SO DAYS AGO, WHEN WE HAD THE LAST OF THE EXPLOSIVE ERUPTIONS, LA SOUFRIÈRE VOLCANO HAS BEEN VERY QUIET, THERE'S LITTLE OR NO SEISMIC ACTIVITY TAKING PLACE.

SO IT'S IN A PERIOD OF QUIETUDE, A LULL AT THE MOMENT.

WE HAVE IN SHELTERS ABOUT 7,000 PERSONS.

WE HAVE OVER THAT NUMBER IN PRIVATE ACCOMMODATION, FAMILY, FRIENDS, STRANGERS, TOOK IN PERSONS AND WE HAVE SOME IN GUEST HOUSES AND HOTELS.

THE SITUATION IS VERY CHALLENGING.

FIRST OF ALL, THIS SERIES OF EXPLOSIVE ERUPTIONS SINCE APRIL 9TH, I'VE BEEN TAKING PLACE AGAINST THE BACKROOM OF THE COVID PANDEMIC.

AND OBVIOUSLY WE ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT GATHERING PERSONS TOGETHER IN SHELTERS, AND PEOPLE IN HOMES THERE MORE PERSONS THAN USUAL IN PRIVATE HOMES.

SO THERE ARE ENHANCE POSSIBILITIES FOR INFECTION OF THE COVID VIRUS IN THE NORTHERN ONE, THE AGRICULTURE IS JUST SIMPLY SHOT THROUGH.

SO TO ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, THERE'S NO FISHING TAKING PLACE NOW IN THAT PART OF THE COUNTRY OF THE 8,000 OR SO REGISTERED FARMERS ABOUT 35-36% COME FROM THAT AREA.

SO THERE'S FARMING TAKING PLACE IN THE LOWER AREAS OF THE ORANGE ZONE AND NATURALLY THE YELLOW ZONE AND THE RED ZONE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY AREA OF KINGSTOWN.

WE HAD A PROBLEM ORIGINALLY WITH WATER, BUT THE WATER SITUATION HAS IMPROVED IMMENSELY.

THE CARIBBEAN FAMILY OF NATIONS HAS RESPONDED QUITE WELL IN RESPECT OF THE IMMEDIATE HUMANITY EFFORT.

AND I SO TOO HAS BEEN THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY.

WE'RE GOING TO BE IN A LONG HAUL FOR RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION.

WE PROBABLY ARE GOING TO BE IN THIS HUMANITARIAN PERIOD FOR SEVERAL MONTHS.

STILL BECAUSE EVEN WHEN YOU GET THE CLEARANCE FROM THE SEISMOLOGISTS TO GO BACK INTO THE RED ZONES, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CLEAN UP THE ASH.

THE WHOLE PLACE IS COVERED WITH ASHES AND THE OTHER ZONE AND PARTS OF ORANGE ZONE, YOU HAVE TO REBUILD CERTAIN HOUSES, PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE HAVE TO GROW, WE'LL START THE CROPS GROW IN.

I MEAN, BANANA FOR INSTANCE.

FROM A PLANT INTO RIPEN IS NINE MONTHS, SWEET POTATOES, FOUR MONTHS.

SO YOU WOULD SEE A LOT OF SOCIAL SAFETY NET AND INCOME SUPPORTS WOULD HAVE TO BE PROVIDED EVEN INTO THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE UNTIL WE GET BACK THE ECONOMY IN AGRICULTURE AND ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND FISH IN THE NORTHERN ONE THIRD WITH THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE EVACUATED.

SO IT'S A COMPLICATED PROBLEM WITH HEALTH ISSUES, ECONOMIC ISSUES, SOCIAL ISSUES, INCLUDING EDUCATION, AND OF COURSE, SECURITY ISSUES.

>>MR.

PRIME MINISTER, YOU HAVE BEEN THAT PRIME MINISTER FOR 20 YEARS.

IS THERE ANYTHING CLOSE TO THIS MAGNITUDE THAT YOU'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH IN YOUR CAREER?

AND HOW DO YOU EVEN BEGIN TO ADDRESS THIS WHEN YOU ARE FACING DANGER OF MORE ERUPTIONS OVER THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS?

>>WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE BUILT UP OVER THE YEARS OUR INSTITUTIONS.

WE HAVE STRENGTHEND OUR RESILIENCE.

WE AGAINST NATURAL DISASTERS.

WE HAVE PUT A NUMBER OF POLICIES IN PLACE, WHICH ARE BEARING FRUIT NOW, BUT IT'S VERY CHALLENGING.

I WOULD GIVE AN IDEA OF SOME OF THE THINGS WHICH WERE PUT IN PLACE GIVEN TO.

ON THE FISCAL SIDE, I'D ESTABLISH A CONTINGENCY FUND FOR DISASTERS, FOR PUBLIC HEALTH DISASTERS AND FOR NATURAL DISASTERS.

AND WE ARE USING THAT FUND AT THE MOMENT.

ALSO, I HAD NEGOTIATED SOME MONIES FOR OVER A YEAR AND LEFT IT AT THE WORLD BANK FOR CATASTROPHIC.

IN THE CASE OF CATASTROPHES.

SO THERE IS SOME MONEY THERE WHICH THERE'VE BEEN TRIGGERED.

THE ACCESS HAS BEEN TRIGGERED BY THE DISASTER, THE VOLCANIC DISASTER.

AND THEN WE'VE BUILT THINGS LIKE THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

WE HAVE BUILT IN THE NORTHERN AREA MORE THAN THE NORTHEAST AND THE NORTHWEST JETTIES RESERVE HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN EVACUATING PERSONS.

THE ROADS HAVE BEEN IMPROVED TO BUILD A HUGE BRIDGE.

LINCOLN THE NORTHEAST, AND THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE ISLAND OF ST. VINCENT.

WE WERE HIRED OVER THE YEARS, SCORES OF PERSONS INVOLVED IN CONSOLATE IN THE PRIMARY SCHOOL AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

THEY HAD THE SECTOR MINISTRY OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.

THOSE HAVE BEEN MOBILIZED TO PROVIDE PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT.

WE HAVE IMPROVED PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM.

THE NUMBER OF CLINICS WHICH WE HAVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THE VERY NEMO ITSELF, THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION.

WE'VE PUT IT IN A MODERN 14, AND WE HAVE BUILT A FUNCTIONING DEMOCRACY.

WE ARE PART OF A WONDERFUL ISLAND CIVILIZATION, THE CARIBBEAN CIVILIZATION, THE STRENGTH OF VALUES AND SOCIAL SOLIDARITY.

WE BUILD UP THE COUNTRY TO THE LEVEL OF THE UPPER MIDDLE LEVEL OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, ACCORDING TO UNITED NATIONS IN THE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX.

ALL THESE AND OTHER MEASURES, I MEAN, WE BOUGHT MORE COAST GUARD VESSELS.

SO THERE ARE LOTS OF... WE HAVE A PLATFORM ON WHICH TO BUILD AND VERY MUCH THE SOCIAL SOLIDARITY THAT EXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP, HAVE A GOOD PUBLIC SERVICE WITH TECHNICAL PEOPLE.

ON MODERN ELECTRICITY AND WATER SYSTEMS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS.

SO WE HAVE BUILT THESE THINGS AND THEY'RE ASSISTING US IN THE PERIOD OF OUR RESILIENCE.

OBVIOUSLY TO MOVE OUT NEARLY, APPROXIMATELY ONE FIFTH OF YOUR POPULATION.

IT'S A HUGE MONUMENTAL TASK.

SO, THEY FEED ENOUGH PEOPLE IN THE SHELTERS TAKING CARE OF THEIR HEALTH NEEDS, SANITATION AND IN PREPARATION FOR STUDENTS TO DO EVEN DURING THE PERIOD OF COVID TO HAVE SOME BLENDED FORM OF TEACHING FACE-TO-FACE AND BY DISTANCE.

ALL THE STUDENTS FROM THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE RIGHT DOWN TO FIVE-YEAR OLDS, WE HAVE PROCURED LAPTOPS.

SORRY, TABLETS FOR THEM, VERY GOOD TABLETS, THERE ARE KEYBOARDS.

SO, HAVE A MODERN FUNCTION IN SOCIETY, AND OUR FOREIGN POLICY HAS BEEN ONE OF FRIENDS OF ALL, AND WE STRIVE FOR A BETTER WORLD.

WE, AS YOU KNOW, ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES IS CURRENTLY ON THE SECURITY CONSOLE, SMALLEST COUNTRY EVER TO HAVE BEEN ELECTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO SIT ON THE SECURITY COUNCIL.

SO THE PRESTIGE OF THE COUNTRY, REGIONALLY, AND GLOBALLY VERY HIGH.

AND ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE HELPED US TO BE ABLE TO PULL THE SOLIDARITY SUPPORT AND NATURAL SOLIDARITY SUPPORT FROM OUR CARIBBEAN FAMILY OF NATIONS.

AND OF COURSE FROM THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY.

AND, WE HAVE BEEN PARTNERING VERY WELL WITH INTERNATIONAL NGOS AND GOVERNMENTS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE GIVEN MANY OF THESE NGOS WOULD SUPPORT UNITED AGENTS, 19 NATIONS AGENCIES, LIKE THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM HAVE GOTTEN GOOD SUPPORT.

THEN WE BROUGHT IN GLOBAL NGOS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.

SO THAT'S, WHERE WE ARE, BUT THE CHALLENGES ARE IMMENSE, BUT WE ARE MANAGING.

BUT THIS IS A LONG HAUL TO RECOVER AND RECONSTRUCTION.

>>SO WHEN YOU SEE THE PLACE WHERE YOUR FAMILY IS FROM WHERE YOU WERE BORN IN THIS DEVASTATION, WHAT DO YOU FEEL?

AND HOW DOES THIS BECOME A MORE THAN JUST BECAUSE OF YOUR POSITION, YOU'RE DOING THIS TO HELP THE PEOPLE, BUT HOW IS YOUR HEART AND YOUR PASSION INVOLVED IN THIS AS WELL?

>>WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THE RESPONSE OF ALL PEOPLE TO EACH OTHER THAT IS TO SAY TO BRING WHERE IN STRANGERS TOOK IN PEOPLE AND FAMILIES, TOOK IN AND FRIENDS TOOK IN EVACUEES AND SAME THING WHERE PEOPLE IN THE REST OF THE CARIBBEAN, ON THE RADIO STATIONS CALL IN AND SAY, WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANY EVACUEES FROM ST. VINCENT TO COME AND SPEND A FEW MONTHS WITH US AND GOVERNMENTS IN THE REGION ALSO HAVE RESPONDED.

SIMILARLY, WHEN YOU SPEAK ABOUT THESE THINGS, IT TOUCHES ME AND BRINGS ME REALLY TO TEARS BECAUSE IT'S A VERY MOTIVE THING.

WE ARE NOT A PEOPLE OF LAMENTATIONS.

>>WE ARE A VERY RESILIENT, PEOPLE IS BUILT INTO OUR DNA.

AND IN THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS ITSELF, THERE'S A VERY POSITIVE MESSAGE BY THE PROPHET JEREMIAH.

MORNING BY MORNING, NEW MERCIES, WE SEE ALL THAT WE NEED.

THY HANDED IS PROVIDED.

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS AND DO APPLY ANOTHER BIBLICAL ILLUSION IN THIS VERY... ON THIS VERY DANGEROUS ROAD TO JERICHO.

A LOT OF GOOD SAMARITANS HAVE COME BY.

AND WE WERE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

AND WE ARE NOT STEEPED IN ANY SENSE OF LEARNED HELPLESSNESS.

WE UNDERSTAND OUR CONDITION.

WE ARE NOT IN A CENTER OF THE EXTENT OF THE DIFFICULTIES, THE CHALLENGES, THE DISTRESS, WHERE THE FACES OF MEN AND WOMEN ACROSS THIS LAND ARE STRAINED AND ANXIOUS.

AND WE HAVE HOWEVER, A NUMBER OF CREDIBLE IDEAS AS HOW WE GET OUT OF THIS.

AND WE FASHIONED IN A PLAN FOR RECOVERY AND A RECONSTRUCTION.

EVEN AS WE TAKE CARE OF THE IMMEDIATE HUMANITY OR A NEEDS OF OUR PEOPLE, >>YOU HAD MENTIONED PRIME MINISTER, THAT WATER WAS A PROBLEM EARLY ON GETTING ENOUGH FRESH WATER FOR PEOPLE.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER HUMAN NEEDS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED MOST URGENTLY?

>>WELL, OBVIOUSLY FEEDING PEOPLE REQUIRE A LOT OF FOOD.

I MEAN, WHEN YOU HAVE 7,000 PERSONS IN SHELTERS, YOU NEED TO HAVE 21,000 MEALS PER DAY.

THAT'S QUITE AN OPERATION.

THEN YOU HAVE 7,000 PERSONS REGISTERED WHEN PRIVATE HOMES WHOM YOU HAVE TO SEND FOOD PACKAGES TO.

YOU PUT PACKAGES TOGETHER LASTING TWO WEEKS.

THEY CAN MAKE THE PREPARATIONS THEMSELVES IN THEIR HOME, IN WHICH THEY ARE.

AND THEN THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO REMAIN IN THE ORANGE ZONE, THEY WERE NOT REQUIRED TO BE EVACUATED.

AND MOST OF THEM WAS IN THE ORANGE ZONE, HAVE DECIDED TO STAY, WAS DIFFICULT TO COPE.

SO WE ALSO HAVE TO PROVIDE A SAFETY NETS SUPPORTS, INCLUDING FOOD PACKAGES.

NOW, WHEN YOU'RE AT THE SHELTER, YOU'LL HAVE THE SANITATION PROBLEMS.

SO THAT IS AN ISSUE IN THE QUESTION OF DEALING WITH ALL THE WASTE.

>>AND THEN COVID, WE HAVE VACCINATED ABOUT 13% OF ALL POPULATION.

AND WE HAVE TO TEST MORE AND MORE.

THERE IS A CERTAIN VACCINE HESITANCE, PARTICULARLY FOR PARTICULAR TYPES OF VACCINES, GIVEN ALL THE NEGATIVE CONNOTATIONS, TOUCHING UNCONCERN IN PARTICULAR TYPES OF VACCINES.

SO, THAT REMAINS A MATTER OF REAL CONCERN.

AND THEN WE HAVE TO CLEAN UP THE ASH, WHICH IS A BIG PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY AHEAD OF US.

I SOUGHT THE HELP OF THE UNITED NATIONS AND THEY BROUGHT IN SOME EXPERTS.

I'M GOING TO HEAR WHAT THEY'RE SAYING.

THERE'VE BEEN ON THE GROUND A FEW DAYS.

SO WE'LL SEE WHAT THEY SAY THIS AFTERNOON.

WHEN I HAVE A MEETING WITH THEM AND THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL.

AND THEN OF COURSE HOUSING, CAUSE MANY HOUSES HAVE BEEN DAMAGED AND SOME DESTROYED.

AND THE REBUILDING OF INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE RED ZONE WHERE WE HAVE ON THE NORTHEAST, WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF AGRICULTURE ON THE NORTHWEST, BUT THEN THE NORTHEAST, WE HAVE A STATE AGRICULTURE BIOTECHNOLOGY CENTER.

THAT CENTER HAS BEEN RAVAGED BY OF ALL KINDS OF DISASTER.

IN FACT, MISS THAT, THAT I RECALL BY BIOTECHNOLOGY CENTER, ARGUABLY THE BEST ONE IN THE ENTIRE EASTERN CARIBBEAN.

SO ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT YOU HAD PUT IN PLACE, WE HAVE TO REBUILD THEM, IT'S THAT WE CAN'T AVOID IT.

AND THOSE ARE SOME OF THE NEEDS, AS I'VE JUST OUTLINED THAT WE HAVE WATER IS PRETTY MUCH TAKEN CARE OF AT THE MOMENT, BECAUSE WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT WATER SYSTEM USUALLY, AND IT HAD BEEN LAID WASTE FOR A SHORT WHILE, BUT THERE WERE PEOPLE THE WATER AUTHORITY BROUGHT IT, BROUGHT BACK TO WATER SYSTEMS IN ORDER.

AND THE WATER IS VERY GOOD QUALITY.

THE ASH DOESN'T AFFECT THE QUALITY OF THE WATER.

THAT'S HAS BEEN TESTED THERE LOCALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY >>PRIME MINISTER, THANK YOU FOR THAT INFORMATION.

WE'RE HERE TO TRY TO HELP YOU AND HELP YOUR ISLAND HELP THE PEOPLE.

AND THROUGH THIS INFORMATION, WE HOPE THAT PEOPLE WILL TAKE ACTION AND BECOME A PART OF THIS CAUSE.

CAN YOU HELP US PUT FACES TO THESE STORIES?

AND DO YOU HAVE ANY STORIES THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE OF A PARTICULAR FAMILY, A BUSINESS THAT WILL HELP THE CENTRAL FLORIDA COMMUNITY?

SOME OF THEM HAVE FAMILY THERE.

SOME OF THEM HAVE TIES THERE AND WE KNOW THIS, BUT JUST A STORY THAT YOU'D LIKE TO SHARE.

>>YES.

>>FIRST OF ALL, I'D LIKE TO SAY TO THE PEOPLE IN FLORIDA OR ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATES OR ANYWHERE, WHAT YOU CAN DO BEST NOW IS TO, IN ADDITION TO ENCOURAGING VARIOUS INSTITUTIONS TO ASSIST.

YOU YOURSELF, THE BEST THING YOU CAN NOW TO SEND MONEY TO YOUR FAMILIES BECAUSE THEY CAN BUY STUFF IN THE SUPERMARKETS BECAUSE THE PORTS ARE OPEN.

AND THE SUPERMARKETS ARE IMPORTANT, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FOOD AND OTHER SUPPLIES.

I WANT TO INDICATE THAT WE TREASURE EVERY SINGLE INDIVIDUAL.

I'LL GIVE YOU ONE INTERESTING CASE.

AFTER THE EVACUATION IN THE NORTHEAST, WE LEARNED THAT THERE WERE SOME PERSONS WHO STAYED BEHIND.

SO TWO DAYS LATER, I SEND THE COAST GUARD TO COLLECT ON DIFFERENT DAYS, AND WE ACTUALLY COLLECTED 127 PERSONS.

AND IF WE DIDN'T GET THEM, BECAUSE THROUGH THE PORT SYSTEM, I WAS TELLING YOU ABOUT THE WHARF, WHICH WE BUILT ON THE NORTHEAST, IT'S THE ATLANTIC SIDE, IT'S A DIFFICULT SIDE TO ENTER A PORT THERE BECAUSE THE TRADE WINDS HIT THERE DIRECTLY, THE NORTHEAST TRADE WINDS, BUT THERE WAS ONE YOUNG MAN, 19 YEARS OF AGE, IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION.

HE HAS SOME MENTAL CHALLENGE, NOT TO GO INTO THE MENTAL HOSPITAL, BUT HE'S NOT QUITE THERE.

AND I HEARD THAT HE WAS LEFT BEHIND.

I...

THROUGH AN INTERMEDIARY I GOT HIS TWO UNCLES TO GO ON THE COAST GUARD VESSELS, TO GO AND GET HIM.

THEY DIDN'T GET HIM.

BUT THIS YOUNG MAN WAS ON MY MIND.

I WENT TO SLEEP WITH HIM ON MY MIND.

I GOT UP IN THE MORNING AND I PERSUADED THE COMMANDER OF THE COAST GUARD WAS RELUCTANT TO GO BACK BECAUSE IT'S DANGEROUS TO HAVE BEEN DOING SO AT THE TIME.

AND I INDICATED TO HIM THAT THIS YOUNG MAN, HE IS A SYMBOL OF OUR HUMANITY.

HE IS A MANIFESTATION, A REPRESENTATION OF OUR HOPE OR PROMISE OR SOLIDARITY OF A FUTURE.

AND WE SEND YET ANOTHER OCCASION ON THE FIFTH OCCASION AND WE GOT HIM.

AND 12 OTHER PERSONS AND JUST COINCIDENTALLY, TWO GOATS AND A DOG, THE ANIMAL LOVERS LIKE THE IDEA OF GETTING THE DOG.

AND THEN THERE ARE INDIVIDUAL, I KNOW MORE THAN ONE FAMILY WHO HAS LOST EVERYTHING AND THEY'RE IN SHELTERS AND THEY... WE HAVE TO BUILD BACK, BUT YET THEY'RE FULL OF HOPE AND OPTIMISM.

I KNOW OF THE LEADER OF A LOCAL SPIRITUAL BAPTIST CHURCH, WHICH IS A RELIGION.

CHRISTIAN, GENERALLY AFRICAN FORMS INDIGENOUS TO OUR COUNTRY.

AND HE, HIS WIFE, HIS MOTHER, HIS STEP FATHER.

HIS BROTHER, HIS SISTER THE CHILDREN.

ALL OF THEM ARE IN SHELTERS.

AND THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE DO.

THEY THEMSELVES THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES ARE GREATLY REDUCED.

FORTUNATELY, NO ONE HAS DIED AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE ERUPTIONS.

WE MOVED EVERYONE OUT, NO ONE GOT INJURED.

AND THAT ITSELF IS REMARKABLE.

AND THE CHURCHES ARE PLAYING AN IMPORTANT ROLE.

AND YESTERDAY WE HAD A NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER, WHICH IS A WAY IN ADDITION TO ADDRESSING ISSUES OF THE DIVINE, TO BRING TOGETHER A SENSE OF SOCIAL SOLIDARITY, TO ENHANCE IT, TO STRENGTHEN IT FURTHER.

AND PEOPLE IN THE SHELTERS OR PRAYER ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

IT WAS VERY MOVING, THE WEAKNESS, BECAUSE SEVERAL TIMES IN MY COMMENTS TO YOU, I'VE EMPHASIZED SOCIAL SOLIDARITY.

WITHOUT THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN OUR RELIEF EFFORTS.

AND WITHOUT THAT SOCIAL SOLIDARITY THAT UNITY IN OUR NATION AMONG OUR PEOPLE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO RECOVER AND RECONSTRUCT THE COUNTRY.

OPTIMALLY, EVEN WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND ASSISTANCE OF RESOURCES FROM OUR FRIENDS IN THE REGION AND GLOBALLY, THIS SOCIAL SOLIDARITY AND THE PREEXISTING STRENGTH OF OUR DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS.

I KNOW INSTITUTIONS OF GOVERNANCE.

THESE ARE WHAT GOING TO PUSH US, AS AGAINST OF COURSE THE BEDROCK OF VALUES.

WE SEE TRIED AND TESTED VALUE.

WE SEE OURSELVES REALLY LIKE THE PEOPLE, THE JEWISH PEOPLE WHO UNDER THEIR LEADER, THE PROPHET JEREMIAH REBUILDING THE CITY WAS AROUND JERUSALEM AFTER IT WAS BROKEN FOR 112 YEARS.

WELL, WE SEE WHAT WE ARE DOING METAPHORICALLY AS REBUILDING OUR JERUSALEM.

REBUILDING COMMUNITIES WHICH REPRESENTED THE SOUL OF OUR NATION.

PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN ENGAGED HISTORICALLY IN STRUGGLES AGAINST COLONIALISM, WAGED VERY IMPORTANT FIGHTS FOR THEIR DIGNITY AND FOR INDEPENDENCE AND SOVEREIGNTY, AND TO BE A FREE PEOPLE.

AND ALL THESE THINGS ARE IN OUR DNA AND THE... NOT JUST INSPIRE, BUT IT IS THOSE THINGS WHICH WE DRAW OUT AND DRAW OUT GOODNESS, HIGH QUALITY, AND NOBILITY FOR THE TASKS AHEAD.

>>MR.

PRIME MINISTER., WE JUST WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.

WE WISH YOU AND THE PEOPLE OF ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES THE BEST OF LUCK GOING FORWARD, CERTAINLY YOUR SOCIAL SOLIDARITY AND YOUR LOVE FOR YOUR PEOPLE HAVE BEEN NOTED TODAY.

AND WE CERTAINLY HOPE THAT OUR VIEWERS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA AND OTHERS WILL BE ABLE TO HELP YOU GOING FORWARD.

BEST OF LUCK TO YOU.

>>THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

APPRECIATE.

>>AND FOR MORE ON HOW TO HELP, YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE, UFCGLOBALPERSPECTIVES.ORG UNDER NEWS.

>>AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEK ON ANOTHER EPISODE OF GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES.