English Craft Masonic Lodges donate sanitary supplies to RGPF

by Curlan Campbell

• Eastern Caribbean English Craft Masonic Lodges donated medical and sanitary supplies to help front-line workers
• Lodge St George # 3072 and Conception Lodge # 8346 English Constitution donated water, sanitising solution and spray bottles to RGPF

As part of a district-wide charity initiative by the District Grand Lodge of Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean (DGLBEC) to support the efforts of front-line workers during the coronavirus pandemic, the English Craft Masonic Lodges throughout 10 countries within the Eastern Caribbean, donated medical and sanitary supplies to help frontline workers continue the fight to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Grenada is no exception. On Tuesday, 2 June 2020 Lodge St George # 3072 and Conception Lodge # 8346 English Constitution donated 110 cases of water, 12 cases of sanitising solution and 2 boxes of spray bottles to the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF).

The donations from lodge members to the initiative, which was led by Worshipful Bro. Dr Lutz Amechi, Assistant District Grand Master, DGLBEC, together with Worshipful Masters Randall Gittens of Lodge St George 3072 EC and Taj Stewart of Conception 8346 EC. Dr Lutz Amechi, handed over the supplies to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Michael François, in Charge of Human resource and Chairman of the RGPF Welfare Association, Inspector Simon Douglas at Police Head Quarters in St George’s.

Assistant District Grand Master, Brother Dr Lutz Amechi said despite the continued lockdown preventing lodge members from holding regular meetings, the lodges still saw it fitting to continue to uphold one of the Masonic principles of charity. “The District Grand Lodge of Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean donated some funds and it was split up between all the lodges and it was up to the individual lodges to get together and decide what they are going to donate and to whom they will donate too, and we have chosen to do this here in Grenada and as you saw this will go a long way to assist our police force to do what they need to do.”

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Michael François, welcomed the donation, noting that this came at a crucial time for the RGPF as they continue to ensure public safety during this difficult period. “We are grateful for this donation because some of the items are in high demand as we have our officers out in the field doing their duty on a 24-hour basis and so water is very important for the officers. Additional we have officers having to engage with the public so it means, therefore, those hand sanitisers are also a very critical item that is needed to ensure that our officers are safe”.

Chairman of the RGPF Police Welfare Association, Inspector Simon Douglas indicated that sanitisation supplies at the various police stations are dwindling and therefore this donation will seek to bolster their supplies. “It is quite difficult for RGPF to procure supplies, at one time we had a very steady supply of water and hand sanitiser but a couple of weeks ago this seemed to have been dwindling and at this point, I don’t think we have supplies at stations anymore, so this donation will fill a great gap where that is concerned.”

The English Lodges particularly Conception Lodge # 8346, is already involved in other charitable work in Grenada including the donation of over $8,000 to the Father Mallaghan’s Home for Boys, at Richmond Hill for various charitable ventures.

Meanwhile, in the UK, the United Grand Lodge of England managed to raise more than £1 million to help support those affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.