By Bert Wilkinson

    The three-day conference is scheduled to begin on July 28 even as locals are struggling to rebuild the two smaller islands with the help of Caricom and western neighbors who have rushed food and material assistance to the country in the wake of the super storm.

   Beryl packing winds with outer gusts of up to 200 miles per hour, has destroyed up to 90 percent of the buildings in Carriacou, agricultural crops, killed dozens of domestic animals and destroyed key infrastructural facilities.

   Petite Martinique was not spared the storm’s wrath. Authorities there have stepped up efforts to bring relief to stressed out residents.

   The storm had also caused damage in neighboring St. Vincent, St. Lucia, Barbados, Dominica and Martinique to a lesser extent and as far north as the Cayman Island and Jamaica where utility companies are struggling to restore power and to fix badly damaged roads.

   Agricultural experts say the decomposing bodies of dead animals are still lying in the open, sparking fears of water contamination and illnesses.

   Record breaking Beryl was the first major storm to have formed as early as mid-June, just two weeks after the official commencement of the annual hurricane season that runs until the end of November.

   Experts blame its ferocity and formation on climate change and extremely warm ocean waters at this time of year.

   As Grenada prepares to host the summit, Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell who will replace Guyanese President Irfaan Ali as rotating bloc chair at the summit, has showered praises on regional neighbors for their quick response to Grenadian needs following the second major hit by a powerful hurricane in 20 years.

   In September 2004, Hurricane Ivan had made landfall on the main island, Grenada, wiping out most of the housing, the infrastructural stock as well as the lifeline agriculture sector.

   “We are immensely grateful and encouraged by the swift response and unwavering support from our Caricom neighbors who generously donated relief and much needed building supplies in the wake of Hurricane Beryl. The resilience of our Grenadian people, coupled with the support of our Caricom and international partners will certainly go a long way in the recovery of our beautiful tri-island state,” Mitchell said as relief from neighboring states landed on the island.

   At the summit, the rebuilding efforts and improved coordination and response activity to disasters will be a key agenda item, as well as the success story of regional and Haitian efforts to install a transitional government in Haiti to prepare for fresh general elections, restore law and order and host a multinational peacekeeping force to take on armed gangs terrorizing the country.

   Other important discussion pieces would relate to progress made so far on free travel in the region as well as in the single trading market of the 15-nation grouping.