U.S. Govt. delivers $200,000
This morning, a pair of local organisations received a total of two hundred thousand Belize dollars to assist in hurricane relief efforts from the United States Government. Ambassador Jim Murphy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received one hundred thousand dollars on behalf of the National Emergency Management Organisation, while Florita Gidwani accepted the other half of the money for the Belize Red Cross. According to U.S. Ambassador to Belize, Russell Freeman, the money is only part of the aid the U.S. is donating to victims of Hurricane Iris.
Russell Freeman, U.S. Ambassador to Belize
“It’s part of our donation. We’ve also given two hundred rolls of plastic sheeting to cover the houses and build shelter for the homeless. We are also participating in the Pan American Health Organization relief efforts for clinics and other care for the people in the south. There are other non-governmental organisations that are contributing people and supplies and money to help the efforts.”
But restoration of the damage in the south will take substantial time and lots of money. According to the Belize Red Cross, the funds received today will be used to finance longer term relief efforts.
Merrilee Ellis, Deputy Dir. General, Belize Red Cross
“Our relief activities have already started. We are already assisting with food, with clothing and we will shortly be assisting with shelter, providing housing. The money will go towards this sort of work that we are doing at the moment, and in fact, probably some activities will go on for a few months yet. It’s going to be a long term effort cause people are have been badly impacted, especially subsistence farmers who really have nothing with which to survive, for at least three to six months.”
The Red Cross says they have targeted eleven villages in Toledo and four in Stann Creek, assisting approximately one thousand families. In addition to co-ordinating relief efforts with NEMO and the Ministry of Health, the Belize Red Cross is also working with delegates from the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
