Calvin Ayre Foundation to match donations to Barbuda relief effort

Calvin Ayre is calling on the online gambling industry to dig deep to help the people of the island of Barbuda, which was flattened by Hurricane Irma this week.

Barbuda was directly in Irma’s path, and its Category 5 mix of 300km/hour winds and heavy rain left a trail of devastation in its wake. Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, said 90% of the island’s structures have been destroyed and at least one person has been killed, although that latter figure may rise.

Browne said he was stunned by the toll Irma inflicted on Barbuda, saying the island was “barely habitable” due to the damage inflicted on the housing stock. The island is home to just under 2,000 souls, of whom at least 60% are currently homeless.

It’s hard to imagine, but the worst may be yet to come. A new hurricane, Jose, is forming in the Atlantic and has already attained Category 5 status. Browne told the Washington Post that his government is considering evacuating Barbuda’s vulnerable population to Antigua if Jose appears headed for Barbuda.