EDDY GRANT TO HELP FLOODED HOME COUNTRY

Reggae star EDDY GRANT has vowed to donate profits from his upcoming album REPARATION to the flood relief effort in his native Guyana, after thousands of people lost their homes.

The ELECTRIC AVENUE hitmaker, 56, has promised one year of artist royalties from the disc, all profits from his DVD THE PLAISANCE-SPARENDAAM TRIBUTE TO EDDY GRANT and 50 per cent of the proceeds from the sale of Grant commemorative stamps to the victims of the torrential rain, which has been hitting the South American nation since 26 December (04).

Over 101 centimetres (40 inches) of rain have fallen since Christmas (DEC04), including more than 68 centimetres (27 inches) this month (JAN05).

While the capital Georgetown is starting to recover, a host of coastal towns remain knee-deep in water, leading to hundreds of people suffering from rashes, diarrhoea and other ailments.