CASTRIES, St. Lucia (6 Nov 2008) — A generous donation by a Caribbean resort operator aims to enhance diver safety and public health in St. Lucia. The renowned Sandals Regency resort donated $15,000 to the St. Lucia Hyperbaric Committee to help the local dive industry acquire a hyperbaric chamber. For over a decade, local dive operators have been working to establish emergency hyperbaric medical treatment for scuba diving injuries as well as treatment of non-diving diseases such as diabetes, which has reached epidemic proportions among island residents. Sandals Regency General Manager, Jeremy Mutton, said the acquisition of a hyperbaric chamber would enhance diver safety and St. Lucia's reputation as one of the world's premier scuba diving destinations. "When planning a dive vacation many tourists will choose their destination based on the availability of a hyperbaric facility, as a consequence of not having this facility; St. Lucia has been disadvantaged in this critical tourism sub-sector," Mutton said. Kai Wulf, head of the St. Lucia Hyperbaric Committee, said the Sandals donation could not have come at a better time because his organization recently found a chamber that meets the island's needs. Presently, the nearest chamber is located one hundred miles away in Martinique. | 
