Help poured in from all corners for the villagers of Bamboo Number 2 yesterday, but American yachtie Bruce Amlicke stood out, as he left his yacht in Chaguaramas to assist the villagers.
Amlicke, 77, of New Jersey, who has been in Trinidad and Tobago for over three years living on his sailboat, took his dingy to help take supplies to those who needed help.
The yachtie was also in the company of members of the Yacht Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago.
“Trinidad and Tobago has been so good to me and I was compelled to come to assist and what I saw here today (Wednesday), and I can’t imagine people living in this condition and the area needs a lot of public works to be done so that we don’t have to do this again,” Amlicke said.
Yacht Services Association of T&T president Jesse James meanwhile told Guardian Media, “I love my country and to know that people outside here in this kind of condition and not do anything, it would have been wrong and it so really heart-breaking to see what went on here.”
He added, “The cruising community and the yachties, they donated cash, this engine onboard and the dingy was donated here, and we have some cash and so on to help because this is just the beginning. This is just the beginning, in the aftermath for the clean-up more help will have to be poured in.”
The yachties are expected to return to the community to continue to assist the villagers.