The owner of Grand Bahama’s BORCO oil storage terminal yesterday said 50 percent of its $200,000 COVID-19 donation to Caribbean countries will go to The Bahamas.

Buckeye Partners, in a statement sent to Tribune Business, said “it is making $200,000 in charitable contributions across the Caribbean to help local non-profits provide long-term support, and assist communities impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Buckeye’s local teams in the Caribbean identified eight influential non-profits that are making a positive impact in the fight against the pandemic. The donations are part of more than $1m in charitable contributions being donated across all operating areas.”

Clark Smith, Buckeye’s president and chief executive, said: “The health and well-being of our local workforce, and the communities where we operate, are our top priority at Buckeye Partners. Given the impact this national medical emergency is having on so many of our communities, we’re proud of our employees and their support for all of the volunteers and organisations working so hard to assist those in need during this unprecedented time.”

Gregory Laroda, Buckeye’s senior director for government relations, said of the donation: “We feel like it’s something we should do in order to help out at this time. You know how COVID-19 is affecting all of the Caribbean islands, so what they decided to do is donate funds to areas where we do business in the Caribbean, The Bahamas being one of them.

“We also donated money specifically to The Bahamas as well. About $100,000 of that $200,000 is coming here, but we have not made it public yet to where this money is going yet because we have not told them yet.”

“I think it’s a good thing for the company to do. We know a lot of these areas need all of the help they can get. So we decided to identify some persons in the community that are doing good things in terms of helping with the recovery process, helping folks in need and businesses, so we decided to reach out and give a little hand.”

Buckeye’s donations, which are coming from its general operating funds, will benefit food banks, hospitals, COVID-19 testing efforts and other local charities in the Caribbean. Its local affiliates will choose non-profits that have been key in providing assistance to pandemic victims.