CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC) — Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony has reached out to his counterpart in Dominica, offering to lend support in the aftermath of the devastation stemming from the passage of Tropical Storm Erika.

“The grim, grim scenes of devastation that we have witnessed today (yesterday) hit very close to home, and even though we have not been directly physically affected by the passage of Tropical Storm Erika, a disaster of this magnitude impacts all of us throughout the Caribbean,” said Anthony in a message to Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica.

According to Anthony, his Government is working with the Government and emergency authorities in Dominica to “confirm the extent of damage and to determine how best we can support them in this, their time of need”.

Meanwhile, the main Opposition United Workers Party says it is saddened by news of the devastation taking place in Dominica as a result of the passage of Tropical Storm Erika.

“The leadership and members of the UWP express sincere condolence to the families of those who have lost loved ones and property. St Lucians can relate to the situation in Dominica because we to have had our experience with natural disaster and we remember too well the devastation caused by Hurricane Tomas and more recently, the Christmas Eve trough of 2013.”

The UWP says it will be staying in touch with “our sister organisation in Dominica in order to provide support”.

“Despite our own hardships, we are appealing to St Lucians to reach out and lend support in any way possible to our sister isle. We continue to offer our prayers on behalf of the People of the Commonwealth of Dominica as they try to deal with this disaster and begin their long road to recovery,” the UWP said.