Belize receives US$27k equipment from US Southern Command

BELMOPAN, Belize – THE Belize National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) has received equipment valued at US$27 000 from the Miami-based US Southern Command.

According to Caribbean Net News, the equipment includes more than 500 folding beds, commonly referred to as cots, and more than 100 sleeping bags.

A ceremony was held at the NEMO Warehouse to commemorate the donation, in which US Ambassador to Belize Robert Deiter revealed that his country had made other donations recently to the Belize Defence Force and the National Coast Guard, in addition to training in several villages across the country.

In his acceptance of the donation, NEMO CEO George Lovell stated that the recent hurricane season had impacted thousands of Belizeans, noting Tropical Storm Arthur and Tropical Depression Number 16 had resulted in losses amounting to $111.5M.

“The reparation of houses, roads and bridges will continue, in addition to cash rebates for crops that have been handed out as well as start-up capital to farmers that were affected by recent floods. The government will also distribute household items to replace damaged ones,” he revealed.

NEMO recently announced that it has already begun planning for the 2009 hurricane season and would again come up with an adoptable and appropriate work plan.