Grenadian Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell has reaffirmed his country’s commitment to helping St. Vincent and the Grenadines as it faced an imminent eruption of the La Soufriere Volacano, by offering 1,600 beds at St. George’s University to accommodate persons who have been evacuated from their homes.

This pledge was initially made in December last year, following an emergency meeting of OECS leaders but will be actualized after the region’s leading geologists have determined that the volcano could erupt in a matter of hours or days.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves made the evacuation order on Thursday,.

PM Mitchell has since spoken to the Chancellor at SGU who assured him that all systems will be put in place to quickly accommodate evacuees, should the need arise.

Given the current Covid-19 pandemic, there will be some requirements to mitigate spread of the virus.

“…Persons being evacuated will be required to have at the very least, their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Additionally, rigorous testing will be undertaken in keeping with Grenada’s entry protocols,” a release from the Mitchell government said.

Evacuees are advised that the process will be coordinated between the Governments of both countries, with an appropriate transfer mechanism being utilised to transport persons from one mainland to the other.