by Patricia Campbell The Grenadians and Friends Association of Antigua and Barbuda (GFAAB) is donating a new ambulance to the people of Grenada. The ambulance was displayed during a brief ceremony at Harney Motors last week, where members of the GFAAB gathered, along with Minister of Housing, Culture and Social Transformation Hilson Baptiste and representatives from contributing companies, Brysons and Harney Motors. President of the association, retired Superintendent of Police Cosmos Marcelle, told the gathering the project evolved out of the hurricane relief efforts in Antigua, after Grenada was hit by Hurricane Ivan in Sept., 2004. He said a fundraising campaign spearheaded by the GFAAB raised $40,000 and once the need for an ambulance in Grenada was identified, the association decided to allocate the funds to meet that need. The GFAAB approached Harney Motors through which the ambulance was sourced at a heavily discounted rate. Grenada-born Dr. Stewart Sylvester was thrilled that the association, of which he is a member, chose to make this particular gift to Grenada. "On many occasions we have had patients suffer because of the lack of ambulance service," Sylvester, who has vast experience in the practise of emergency medicine and who currently works in the casualty department of the Holberton Hospital, said. "The terrain in Grenada is not as simple as the terrain here in Antigua. Getting patients to medical care more quickly greatly increases their chances. This gift will save lives,"he added. Pronouncing the ambulance very suitably outfitted, Sylvester pointed out that Hadeed Motors is also expected to donate some medical supplies and the Rotary Club of Antigua & Barbuda would be sending five wheelchairs to Grenada. The gifts will ac-company the ambulance to Grenada. Also on hand for the ceremony was Nathan Dundas, manager of Brysons Shipping, which arranged to transport the ambulance to Grenada and to have all the associated charges waived. Dundas said he would like to see the shipping lines, in collaboration with regional governments, become more involved with projects like this one as a way of giving back, especially to Caribbean countries, which have been hit by disaster. The ambulance is scheduled to leave Antigua today and will arrive in Grenada within a week. A delegation from the GFAAB leaves for Grenada shortly to formally present the ambulance. While there, Marcelle hopes the group will get the opportunity to visit Caricou and Petit Martinique, outlying islands which were recently ravaged by Hurricane Emily. Reprinted from antiguasun.com