RIO BUENO, Trelawny — Nine trucks and other heavy equipment left the Tank-Weld Group of Companies’ Sufferance Port in Rio Bueno, Trelawny on Sunday bound for Barbados and St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

According to Tank-Weld, “the units are being provided to two Caribbean neighbours on very generous terms in response to the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano in SVG.”

The volcano, that erupted on April 9 and several times afterwards, spewed volcanic ash on St Vincent and the Grenadines, spreading to neighbouring Barbados.

The Tank-Weld team and the Barbados Government were brought together by Sandals Resorts International Executive Chairman Adam Stewart.

Tank-Weld Group CEO Chris Bicknell stated that he was glad that Stewart made the contact so his company could be of assistance.

Stewart told the Jamaica Observer West that he was “proud to have made the connection”.

“Barbados had a need and we had a solution for our sister island,” he stressed.

Bicknell emphasised that he too is happy to provide assistance to the Caribbean countries.

“We are happy to assist our Caribbean neighbours in their time of need and want to assist in a speedy recovery for their people and economy,” he said.

Two water sprinkling trucks and a front-end loader were identified as items of immediate need for St Vincent and the Grenadines and seven water sprinkling trucks for Barbados.

Tank-Weld also arranged concessionary shipping terms for a vessel that services the Caribbean region to transport the items.

Tank-Weld, now in its 50th year of operation, supplies hardware and building materials in the region, and is the regional dealer for Shacman trucks and Shantui earth moving equipment.

In the past, Tank-Weld has assisted Caribbean neighbours in the wake of disasters.

The company came to the aid of SVG in the wake of Hurricane Tomas in 2010 with supplies of building materials ,and later provided similar assistance to Dominica in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

Tank-Weld said it is heartened by the opportunity “to come to the assistance of Caribbean brothers and sisters in their moment of difficulty”.

A Shacman F3000 watersprinkler truck, with a14,000-litre stainless steeltank, is being loaded ontothe ship that will take it toBarbados to aid in the cleanupof ash caused by theeruption of the La Soufrierevolcano in St Vincent andthe Grenadines.