Jamaica starts coordinating help for Haiti
JAMAICA’S Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) says it is too early to put a monetary estimate on the level of assistance that the country will be providing to Haiti in the wake of Hurricane Matthew.
This, as Haiti is yet to give an initial damage assessment report.
The impoverished Caribbean nation was slammed by the devastating Category Four storm between Monday and Tuesday, after sparing Jamaica.
“We don’t know what the value of the damage is. Our assistance now would be based on what the donations are,” Delmaris Whyte, ODPEM’s director of information and training, told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.
White further explained that any discussion on the matter would have to be raised between the Local Government Ministry and the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).
She also said that it was too soon to quantify the level of participation from the private sector.
Meanwhile, she noted that outside of the ‘Helping Haiti’ initiative proposed by Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie, it is expected that the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) will send a request, in short order, through the foreign affairs ministry, to the OPM, requesting that the ODPEM be appointed the sub-regional focal response coordinator for relief efforts to Haiti.
She noted that discussions were held yesterday with Ronald Jackson, executive director of CDEMA, on the matter.
“Once he (Prime Minister Holness) gives permission, based on discussions, the national response team and the other agencies will be activated,” she explained.
On donations, White said Jackson has proposed that cash assistance is preferable. “When you have items, you have to package it, store it, ship it, so it takes a lot more coordination and it delays the process; that’s the point he (Jackson) is making,” she stated, but noted that donations of bottled water, tarpaulin, and non-perishable foods are needed as well.
“The suggestion is that cash is better, and if they want to give the donation they can do it to our NCB account at 212367304,” she said, noting that items have to be taken to the ODPEM’s Haining Road offices in Kingston.
White explained that, when the ODPEM is designated as the regional focal point, a rapid needs assessment will be carried out, with the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) sending in its Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to help with on-the-ground coordination to “size-up” the situation in Haiti.
She noted that while Jamaica has partnerships with Cuba for the sharing of disaster risk information, there is no similar collaboration with Haiti at this time.
I just got word from some of my relatives here in America how Jamaicans down there have been bytching and complaining about Haiti getting aide from the Jamaican government
Anyone in this thread who is Jamaican and has jamaican family down there can cosign the story.
But SMH at Jamaicans man. And yall wonder why they get criticized so much. I don't care if i have family there or what that country can be so damn selfish and obsessed with themselves. To my knowledge nobody died in Jamaica, while in Haiti it has been 39 deaths and possibly counting.
And yall wonder why i was going in on Jamaicans in that Jamaican women vs Haitian women thread
That is one selfish ass nation...your gonna complain about another Black country receiving money from your government
I thought about my ex-wife who lives alone too, but yeah, the nikka she's fukking now better look out for her. I ain't reaching out.
