MONIES RAISED by the local private sector for Hurricane Ivan victims in Grenada have contributed to the first school rebuilding project. The last set of donations collected were in excess of $100,000, taking the donations, including the radiothon put on by the Rotary Club of Barbados, to over $1.5 million. On Wednesday, the major contributors to the fund, including the banks where the money was deposited, got together to hand over the final cheque to Roger Smith, president of the Rotary Club of Barbados, at Ernst & Young. Regional District Governor of Rotary, David Edwards said he visited Grenada in mid-December to oversee the reconstruction of St Joseph’s Convent in St Andrew. “The work started on December 1, and we were the first organisation to actually start a project. I met with government officials and some students who came out in their numbers to show how grateful they are,” he said. Edwards told the Weekend Nation this final installment of the donations would be used to repair old people’s houses. “We are now researching this and waiting on the government to tell us what areas need to be developed. We can’t do it on our own, and they will know best what is needed,” said the regional district governor. Gathered for the presentation were Roger Smith, David Edwards, Chris deCaires, president of the Barbados Private Sector Association, and Pamala Proverbs, corporate communications manager at the Nation Publishing Company. Reprinted from nationnews.com