BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AS Hurricane Matthew bares down on the coastal sections of the Eastern United States, it has left in its wake mass destruction and causalities in the French-speaking island of Haiti – the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
According to information coming out of Port - au – Prince, the death toll has risen to over 300 in the last 24-hours, and popular international non-governmental organization Rotary International – with groups spread around the region, including Haiti and St. Kitts and Nevis, has taken the initiative to assist.
The local arm of the Rotary Club is calling on persons in the Federation to donate toward the assistance drive by providing non-perishable food supplies and water.
Haiti, which was ravaged in 2010 by a massive earthquake, had many people living in makeshift tents which could be the cause of the rising death toll resulting from floods caused by the category - 4 hurricane.
In a release, the Club stated that they are awaiting an official statement on the needs of the people in the sister Caribbean island. However, persons interested in making donations could do so through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) or the Club.
Spearheaded by Carol Phillip, the group has over the last several days begun receiving donations from various agencies and individual groups, including the Jamaican community in the Federation.
The group is asking anyone who might have a contact or contacts that could contribute a donated flight to take items to Haiti to contact them as soon as possible,
Officials of the St. Kitts and Nevis Rotary Club are in constant contact with their counterparts in Haiti. And based on their early assessment of conditions there, they revealed that extensive damage was caused to a number of homes.
Arising out of a meeting, the release said: “As a result, the overwhelming consensus at the meeting is to replace the roofs of 1,000 homes by providing them with locally acquired metal sheets along with necessary sealant and nails. In addition, we also propose to provide 1,000 Sawyer System so they can have access to potable water. We also intend to provide them with disinfectants to minimize diseases.”
According to the officials in Haiti, the anticipated cost for the roofing to the damaged homes “is about $200 USD [and] $100 USD for each water system”.
The body noted that this is an initial response from various communities they were able to visit.
The local office has established a Rotary Relief Fund at the Bank of Nova Scotia on Fort Street with Account Number 51544193.
