Emergency Management Hands Out Supplies to Majestic Fire Victims
NEMO, CEMO and other partners handed over supplies to families who lost their homes and belongings in the Majestic Alley last Friday. The families have been receiving assistance since the night of the fire and CEMO says they will not be left out in the cold following this week. They received grocery certificates, table top stoves and other necessities. News Five was at today’s handing over program.
Andrea Polanco, Reporting
It has been five days since the Majestic Alley Fire wiped out four homes and displaced fifty one persons. Since that fire, the families have been placed in a housing complex where they are to stay until they can rebuild. CEMO, Belize Red Cross, Human Development and other local partners have been working together to provide food, clothing, bedding and other basic necessities for the nineteen affected families. As a part of rebuilding their lives, today a total of twelve families received cook tops, gas tanks filled with gas courtesy Gas Tomza, nets and pots from the Belize Red Cross and other items to help with a smooth transition into their housing unit.
Philip Willoughby
Philip Willoughby, Councilor, CEMO
“Today, they will be receiving their cook tops, their gas stoves, gas tanks, regulators – courtesy NEMO and CEMO. They will be receiving food vouchers from the Ministry of Human Services and the office of the Red Cross will be giving them pots and some other utensils, so that is where we are. We are looking at thereafter, from our other donors, how do we give them the other necessities that they need. And from those discussions we had had with those other organizations and agencies, we are looking to see how we build back the lives of these victims step by step.”
As a part of the package, the families received fire victim’s assistance from the Ministry of Human Development – today they also signed for their basic food supplies. San Pedro Belize Water Taxi also donated five thousand dollars to the victims – those monies will be split among the number of families and the City Council will be covering a small balance to give each family a cheque for four hundred dollars. Councilor Willoughby says that they are working to get more help from the business community.
Philip Willoughby
“Up to last evening we have been in discussions with the San Cas Group of Companies, Radisson, we had discussions also with BTL. And within this coordination and discussion meetings we have had, we are looking at the different levels of needs of the victims, so what will be happening here today, if you can recall, the warm meals would have been discontinued last evening. I would like to ask the general public, businesses, organizations, who would like to assist the fire victims, kindly do so through the offices of the Belize City Council, so we can coordinate that so that we don’t have any duplication of issuing of relief that these fire victims have gotten already. And just to ensure that it is the right persons who were affected who receive the necessary assistance that they need.”
According to Willoughby, the help for the families is expected to extend for a period of one month. He says while the families are not in their own homes, they are committed to making it as comfortable for them during this difficult time.
Philip Willoughby
“They are in a new location where they have their own rooms, basically, I believe to this end of what we were briefed, the coordination of B.E.L. and WASA to give them utility access is under way. You know that we still have the portable toilets at location and the Red Cross still have their vat in place and the Fire Service is still filling it. So, basically, and gradually, these victims are getting back their lives step by step. So, it is not just after today’s issuing of the donation that it cuts off there. I never want anyone to think or believe that we will turn our backs on these victims because that will not happen and until, I believe, I would give it a time frame duration of a month or so, we think we will be where we need to be and then from there the families will be able to look after themselves.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Andrea Polanco.
