THE EDITOR, Sir:IN THE aftermath of Hurricane Ivan, many tales have been told of the undue hardships and suffering of those who received some terrible blows from the winds, rains and flood.
On the other hand, there are some individuals and institutions who rendered services to the people of Jamaica, and in this case, Kingston in particular, to allow the anxieties and needs for certain types of services to be met despite the fact that most businesses were closed from Friday, September 10 through Tuesday, September 14.
Heading this list of course were the stalwart Cable & Wireless whose amazingly resilient networks functioned nearly flawlessly throughout Jamaica's '9/11', allowing anxious families and friends to remain in contact with each other, both at home and overseas during the worst of Ivan.
I also want to pay tribute to another organisation, much smaller in scope than C&W, whose civic contribution I have always been able to depend on through thick and thin - York Pharmacy in Half-Way Tree.
York was closed on Friday and Saturday (September 10 and 11) during the terrible hours that Ivan first threatened, then landed; but it was the first business place that I know of to open on Sunday, September 12. They remained open for eight hours on Sunday, 13 hours on Monday, and were back to their normal 15 hours by Wednesday, September 15.
Mr. Editor, you cannot realise what a blessing it was to find a Pharmacist that terrible morning after Ivan, and somewhere that I could find whatever medicine, water, ice and batteries that I had neglected to stock up on during our '9/11' weekend.
I can remember 16 years ago after Gilbert when I was alone and pregnant, they did the same. Thanks York Pharmacy!
And Mr. Moodie, I was there to see you scrambling up the ladder - gas pan in hand - to refill the tank of your stand-by generator. The efforts of yourself and your staff were well appreciated by us, your faithful customers. Now you know why we are faithful.
I am, etc.,
VERONICA MCLEARY
201 Canal Drive, Bridgeport P.O.
