Humanitarian Relief is being Organized for Belize

Dean Barrow

As Tropical Storm Eta continues to barrel her way through the Gulf of Mexico towards Key West, Florida it is recorded as the second most intense November hurricane, as well as the first tropical cyclone to make landfall in the United States during this month since Hurricane Mitch in 1998.  Nonetheless, U.S. and United Nations agencies are already on standby to provide humanitarian relief for Belize.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“The US and UN agencies and the Mexicans are also in close contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide whatever humanitarian relief they can in the form of food, water, bedding, cleaning supplies and so on.  NEMO will make the distribution from its warehouses countrywide, whatever stock is on-hand will be replenished.  As I said, the money will get to you on Monday and of course, again, the report that Col. DeFour sent me puts as the last and perhaps most highlighted note that the next concern is the Belize District as the floodwaters crest and recede in the high grounds and as they head towards the lower reaches of the Belize River Valley communities. It is possible that as much as thirty thousand people have already been affected.  He says here, and this is upon my instruction, that all those in need will receive food, water and shelter as required.  I appreciate the Minister of NEMO saying that it will not be possible to replace every last household item that may have been destroyed but it will only not be possible because there is not enough time between now and Wednesday.  If there had been enough time, I would have guaranteed that every last single item would have been replaced.”