Local banks have agreed to open special Help for Haiti accounts from today to receive donations for the hurricane-ravaged Caribbean nation. This follows an appeal over the weekend by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.
According to a release from the Office of the Prime Minister, Dr Rowley will get things going today by making a contribution at a bank in his constituency.
Help for Haiti accounts will be available at all branches of commercial banks and the Government will ensure all contributions get to Haiti to help alleviate the situation there, the release from OPM stated.
Dr Rowley, in highlighting government’s willingness to provide held to Haiti said: “Haiti is a member of Caricom. We are Caribbean people and if there is anything that we can do in the event that they need help, Trinidad and Tobago will always be prepared to share what we have with those who are in greatest need.
“Regardless (of) what our circumstances are, we will always have enough to share with our brothers and sisters who might be in greater need.”
In a statement yesterday, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar urged citizens to “consider sending whatever aid you can to help in the recovery effort.”
She said: “I know many of our citizens are experiencing extremely difficult times but ours is small compared to what Haitians face today. Please help if you can; every little bit helps.
“We empathise with our sisters and brothers in Haiti and pray for the families that have lost loved ones. I ask you to do the same.”
A humanitarian crisis has emerged in the wake of Hurricane Matthew which roared through southwest Haiti as a Category 4 storm last week. The precise death toll is still not known. Officials with Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency in the Grand-Anse Department, which is on the tip of the southern peninsula, have so far confirmed 522 deaths, not including anyone in several remote communities yet to be reached because of collapsed roads and bridges.
It is estimated that in Grand-Anse alone there were 66,000 houses destroyed and 20,000 heavily damaged.
The Pan American Health Organisation and others are warning of a surge in cholera cases because of the widespread flooding caused by Matthew. Haiti’s cholera outbreak has killed roughly 10,000 people and sickened more than 800,000 since 2010, when it was introduced into the country’s biggest river from a UN base where Nepalese peacekeepers were deployed.
At the regional level, the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) is leading the Caricom response to Hurricane Matthew and is working with national relief organisations to assess damage, determine priority needs and provide relief. In addition to CDEMA’s work, the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility has already processed a payment of more than US$20 million to Haiti.
Where to donate…
The full extent of the destruction caused by Hurricane Matthew in Haiti is still not known. However, government officials estimate that at least 350,000 people need assistance. The World Food Programme says there has been massive destruction of crops. Hospitals and clinics have been damaged or destroyed and medical personnel are struggling to deal with an increase in patients with injuries sustained during the storm as well as an apparent increase in cholera.
Relief efforts have started and here in T&T several groups are gathering supplies to send to Haiti.
Guardian Media is supporting the efforts of Is There Not A Cause (ITNAC) a local non-profit organisation that has been actively involved in a variety of charity outreaches locally, regionally and internationally since March 2002. The group, which has been involved in relief work in Haiti for several years, is sending a team to that country tomorrow on a fact-finding mission to report on the areas most in need and to determine what those need are.
Over the past few days, ITNAC has been collecting cash donations, food, water and toiletries to send to Haiti. Persons wishing to help can drop off donations at Sa Maison Guest House, 6a Anderson Street, St James, or make cash deposits to First Citizens account 1660410 and Republic Bank account 510009446802.
For further information, the group can be contacted at the following numbers: 742-1879, 394-2042, 369-5595,271-2077, 725-3118 and ITNAC’s Port-of-Spain office at 624-4162.
In support of ITNAC’s efforts, with help from our sister company in the ANSA McAL Group, Standard Distributors Ltd, Guardian Media will be setting up collection points at Standards outlets across the country. Other companies within the group will be coming on board throughout this week in what will be a sustained and co-ordinated response to the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Haiti in the aftermath of the hurricane.
Updates and outreaches will be published and broadcast across all the companies in Guardian Media—the T&T Guardian, CNC3, the TBC Radio Network—as well as our various digital platforms
Here are some other ways to help:
• Digicel customers can assist in the relief efforts by texting HELP to 5151 to donate $5. Customers can text as many times as they like.
• The San Fernando City Council is partnering with the San Fernando Volunteer Network, the Rotary Club of San Fernando and ONE Love Trinidad for a Haiti Relief Charity Drive and will be collecting clothing, non-perishable food, dry goods, supplies, medicine and building materials to assist in restoration efforts. Items can be dropped off at the Public Relations Department of the San Fernando City Corporation. In addition, a container has been placed on Harris Promenade, San Fernando, for the collection of relief supplies. Items being collected include basic medicines and medical supplies, clothing, canned food, drinking water and building materials. No cash donations will be accepted
• The Barakah Foundation and IBN TV led by Inshan Ishmael are collecting relief items at the grounds in Endeavour, Chaguanas.
• The Congress of the People has launched its Haiti Support Effort and is asking for water, non-perishable foodstuff, toiletries and personal hygiene items.
Donations can be made at the Operations Centre, Caroni Savannah Road, Charlieville.