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Kaieteur News hands over $4.5M Haiti Fund

Feb 20, 2010 News

By Latoya Giles
The monies, $4,515,826, collected by the National Media and Publishing Company through its “Haiti Relief Fund” were yesterday handed over to the Guyana National Committee for Haiti Relief.
Present at the presentation yesterday were Minister, Priya Manickchand, and Colonel Chabilal Ramsarup, the chairman of the Civil Defence Commission.
Courts Guyana Inc., and the Rastafarian Committee and a woman’s group from the Golden Fleece Community also made donations yesterday.
Reporter Gary Eleazar, on behalf of Kaieteur News, said that when the Publisher of the newspaper, Glenn Lall, learnt about the devastating earthquake in Haiti, he immediately started the fund as is his custom in the face of disaster.
He said that the fund received donations from the Publisher himself, the staff members of Kaieteur News and from the wider society over the weeks. Eleazar said that regrettably, the fund was halted after what the management of Kaieteur News described as misguided approach.
He said that after the fund was halted the Publisher and staff members held a meeting. Suggestions were proffered. Some suggested giving the money to CARICOM, to Red Cross and other charities. However, the majority wanted the donation to be recognised as a Guyana effort so it was donated to the Guyana Haiti Relief Commission.
Courts Guyana Inc. made an undisclosed donation, along with $1.4M worth of mattresses. The representative of the Courts Guyana Inc. said that the hire purchase giant was very pleased to help the people of Haiti.
The Rastafarian Committee represented by Ras Simon, gave $70,000. He said that they have made an interesting move to make sure that Haitians who are helpless are looked after.
Patricia Gordon who represented the woman’s group donated $200,000.
Minister Manickchand said that she was very proud of the Guyanese people who have all contributed to the plight of the Haitians.
She said that Courts Guyana Inc., made its stores available for persons to donate monies. She noted that the local artistes have played a major part in the relief efforts. She said that other persons have used innovative ways to donate.
Manickchand explained that the Auditor General department would usually send officials on a daily basis to audit the funds which were collected.
The Minister said that whatever money is received from corporate or private citizens automatically becomes the CDC’s concern. The body is not responsible for what happens prior to that.
According to the Minister, the people of Haiti have started to receive the donations from Guyana.
Moreover, she commented briefly on the action that caused Kaieteur News to halt the fund, and said that as a country there are laws and procedures which must be followed. She said that every law may not please the general public but you have to follow it.
Manickchand noted if the law is out dated it should be revised. She stated that while persons continue to be generous and have good intentions, people still have to comply with the laws.
She posited that the laws should not be disobeyed but the person should seek to get a waiver, or if the country does not like it, then change them.
The Minister denied that Kaieteur News was singled out. The Kaieteur News fund was halted last week after ranks of the Guyana Police Force visited this newspaper stating that collection was illegal.
The ranks said that they were acting on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Henry Green.
The Haiti Relief Fund was not the first time that Kaieteur News had ventured to collect money from the public.

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