Social Security contributes to aid fund
Relief efforts in the north received a financial boost today from the Social Security Board. This morning the organisation donated ninety thousand dollars to NEMO and thirty-five thousand to the Belize Red Cross. The money, according to S.S.B. Deputy Chairperson, Elena Smith, came from funds set aside for disaster relief.
Elena Smith, Deputy Chair, SSB Board
“We decided that NEMO, because of what we want them to do with the funds, we gave them a bigger portion because we want them to work on assisting people with repairing their buildings and so they got a bigger portion.”
Godfrey Smith, Minister Responsible for NEMO
“Assistance is being provided by way of generators. I know for a fact that about twenty generators are on their way up there, food is being given, relief supplies, whatever else you need to live, food, water etcetera. Those are the main things right now. The main issue is to get food, water, sanitation facilities over the heads of people who have lost their homes. That is the most fundamental need.”
Elena Smith
“Red Cross they deal with food items and clothing and that kind of thing and so they got a smaller portion.”
Lily Bowman, Director General, Belize Red Cross
“It will allow us to be able to supply food for two weeks for at least two hundred or more families. These packages are for a family of five and it is supplies for two weeks. … Just this morning we have made arrangements to open a kitchen to feed these people from the centre. Orange Walk has already done that and they are feeding people, I think three meals for the day. We have been going out, reaching out into the remote villages that people may not normally remember and we have been taking blankets, tarps, tents, clothing, kitchen sets, hygiene sets out to them for those who cannot come to the centre to pick up.”
Godfrey Smith
“Everybody wants their needs addressed immediately. We have to remind people that this is actually a disaster, it takes a little while. People want their electricity back up tomorrow, they want to see B.E.L. people on the ground, they want reports. Yes, everybody is doing their best to get attention to the most critical areas. So, teams are on the ground, when we are in a situation like this you get a thousand calls every minute, everybody is saying a lot of different things. They key thing to bear in mind is that we have to stay focussed and calm.”
Bowman says they have identified at least eighteen hundred families who are in need of assistance and are also asking for volunteers to help in transporting food and supplies to villagers.
