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No ceiling set for Aid collection for Haiti
…thousands dead but millions more need help – Manickchand
The Guyana National Committee for Haiti Relief has set no ceiling to the amount of aid that it intends to collect for the earthquake ravaged island.
This was pointed out by the Chairperson of the Committee Human Services and Social Security Minister Priya Manickchand who is urging Guyanese to give generously to the relief effort.
According to Manickchand, while there are tens of thousands of people that have died, there are millions more that need help.
According to Manickchand, “It does not matter how little you have. I am sure than you can find something that could help others.”
The Minister emphasised that while Guyana may not have the resources that a first world country has, it would be an indictment, “on us if we did not help our brothers and sisters in Haiti…we are all our brothers keeper…we have a civic/human responsibility to take care of those in need.”
She noted too that stakeholders are also in the process of working out a mechanism that would determine logistically how the aid from Guyana will reach Haiti.
It was pointed out that the airport has been taken over by the US Military and at present is overwhelmed, while the ports in Haiti are closed and the roads.
The last reported figures coming out of the committee representing cash-in-hand totaled some $213.6 Million and growing.
This amount was realised through Government’s initial donation of $205.9 M (US $1m) as well as those realised from two telethons aired on NCN among other fund raising drives.
As at Friday last, the other deposits totalled $4.5M while the cash and cheques delivered to the CDC amount to $779,000. In addition, the cash received from the NCN telethons amounts to $2.4 M.
According to Manickchand, the other figures announced remain pledges for now and she is urging those that made the commitments to make good on their pledges.
GT&T has also pitched in making available its SMS platform to raise funds via text messaging that collects $100 per message and as at yesterday more than 8000 were received.
The company has offered its telecommunication equipment to facilitate local relief efforts. The GT&T number to text to make a donation is 6204488(GIVE) and the message is ‘Help Haiti’.
“We have pledges from Courts Guyana Limited, Banks DIH, DDL and Just Water as well as $6M in pharmaceuticals from the New GPC. The Pomeroon Oil Mill has also pledged $500,000 worth of cooking oil to be shipped to the country with other supplies when that becomes possible.
Donations are also still being accepted at the CDC on Thomas Lands and NCN as well as at any Republic Bank branch.
The Minister also stated that contrary to public opinion, the committee has no issues with the Guyana Red Cross but noted that the effort remains a national joint effort that includes the organisation on the committee.
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