As the world continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, Belfast Estate in Dominica has joined other OECS rum distillers in modifying their production lines to play their part in producing alcohol and hand sanitiser and making donations of sanitation products.
Across the Eastern Caribbean, contributions have been made to governments, institutions and frontline healthcare workers and to support local communities impacted by the virus.
• Belfast Estate in Dominica, shifted from rum production for human consumption, as a result of the ban on the sale of alcohol and produced a 70% alcohol sanitiser which assisted to alleviate an island-wide shortage of alcohol and sanitisers for the citizens of Dominica. This was made available mainly to supermarkets, offices and homes caring for the elderly. The production of this sanitiser will become part of their product portfolio.
Other actions taken by OECS producers, all members of the West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA), to support COVID response in their various countries include:
• Saint Lucia Distillers has produced a 70% ABV rubbing alcohol sanitiser which helped alleviate an island-wide shortage of sanitiser for citizens. Shipments of bulk and retail sizes were donated to schools, the police and fire departments and to homes for the elderly, to help keep the most vulnerable on island safe. Supported by its parent company GBH, St Lucia Distillers has also contributed 100,000 medical face masks to the Ministry of health for the benefit of front-line health works.
• Demerara Distillers St Kitts and Nevis has diversified its production to include rubbing and sanitising alcohol (70%). The product was able to fulfill where shortages existed and it was also used to support the sanitisation activities of the Hospitals (JNF and Alexandra), children’s, elderly and nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and the National Emergency Operations Centre to which donations were made.
• St. Vincent Distillers produced Mt. Bentick’s Hand Sanitiser, a disinfectant solution developed using the WHO’s guidelines to meet the demand for desperately needed hand sanitiser in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Donations were made to the country’s first responders, health care workers, police station, clinics and hospitals as well as the airport.
Margaret Monplaisir, Chief Executive Officer of Saint Lucia Distillers and member of the WIRSPA Executive Committee said,
“In this period we just pulled out all stops to ensure the islands had the supplies necessary to battle COVID.
Even with a drastic drop in sales because of lockdowns, we saw it was our duty, as part of this community, to come out and to keep operating to produce these much-needed supplies.”
She further added, “in this period, with all the stress from being at home and job insecurity, it is important to mind what and how you drink.
If you drink, do so in moderation and stay away from home-made alcohol or any products that may have been tampered with.”
The West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers Association (WIRSPA) is one of the oldest, private sector trade associations in the Caribbean. It represents rum producers in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Haiti, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.
In the video below, Margaret Montplasir on the efforts by OECS rum distillers to modify their production lines to play their part, producing alcohol and hand sanitiser and making donations of sanitation products.
The following video features had sanitiser production in Saint Lucia.
Antigua Distillers diversifies product offerings to meet local demand for hand sanitiser.
I think this is why this should not replace washing your hands. Alcohol this actually is causing my hands issues also. Drying up the skin those who are in healthcare will tell you. Anyone who washes their hands or uses alcohol will attest to the damage to ones hands.
No wonder we have people not washing their hands.
Just being curious. Has Belfast Estate actually produced rum since Erica? I mean their facility was completely destroyed and is still being reconstructed. Is the Soca rum or any of their product real Dominica rum or imported rum from Guyana?
And am not being negative – just curious.
If you are that concerned it would be a great idea to visit the factory, or call privately, posting here makes no sense.
Anything for negative publicity is all that makes great news for some people.
SMDH!!
Dominica sure havé an xport now…am happy for the government…wow..thats progress…
Excellent Work!!!!!
I wonder what else is mixed with the alcohol. The skin on the back of my hands has become allergic to some of the sanitizers that are sprayed on entering a store.
I think this is why this should not replace washing your hands. Alcohol this actually is causing my hands issues also. Drying up the skin those who are in healthcare will tell you. Anyone who washes their hands or uses alcohol will attest to the damage to ones hands.
No wonder we have people not washing their hands.