Korea Sends Hurricane Aid & Four Vehicles
One of Belize’s oldest allies has come forward with assistance for hurricane victims, as well as to help upgrade the Protocol fleet at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Government of South Korea, which shares thirty-five years of diplomatic ties with Belize, has provided hurricane aid in the form of a check worth two hundred thousand dollars for the vulnerable class that suffered the most damage during the passage of Hurricane Lisa on November second of last year. The money complements the government’s ongoing humanitarian assistance to families through direct cash transfers, coordinated by the Ministry of Human Development. As was mentioned, the four vehicles for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be used to facilitate the work of the Foreign Service and Protocol units. Korea’s Senior Secretary for Policy Coordination and Planning, Sung-min Jang handed over the gifts to Minister of Human Development, Dolores Balderamos-Garcia and C.E.O in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amalia Mai, respectively. Following the handing-over, the officials shared a few words to mark the occasion.
Sung-min Jang, Senior Sec., Policy Coordinator, & Planning, Korea
Sung-min Jang
“I feel privileged to be here to donate this four-vehicle fleet to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration of Belize. This is a symbol of the thirty-five years of our friendship. In addition, as a responsible member of the international community and a friend to Belize, Korea is supporting the recovery of the most affected victims of Hurricane Lisa. A cash transfer for U.S. one hundred thousand is to provide timely and effective humanitarian assistance to the people of Belize. The Republic of Korea will remain is committed to working together with the Ministry of Human Development, Families and Indigenous People’s Affairs and World Food Program to this end.”
Dolores Balderamos-Garcia
Dolores Balderamos-Garcia, Minister of Human Development
“We want to thanks you very particularly for the support of this Hurricane Lisa cash relief program. We also want to acknowledge the World Food Program. The program has already started. There have been a number of recipients already and if we can continue, it is only a god thing, so thank you very, very much. We have had much assistance and many great partnerships, including the partnership from our friends in the Republic of Korea and we are extremely grateful.”
Amalia Mai, C.E.O., Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Amalia Mai
“We have the chairmanship of SICA for the next six months. We have the first delegation arriving this weekend so the vehicles will be put to very good use in transporting our visitors. And beyond the six months, we have a very active foreign ministry, so this will assist us and go a very long way in treating our visitors the way we should.”
Senior Secretary Sung-min Jang held meetings following the ceremony with Prime Minister John Briceño, Minister of State in Finance, Chris Coye, C.E.O in that Ministry, Narda Garcia as well as C.E.O in the Ministry of Economic Development and Investment, Doctor Osmond Martinez and Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Doctor Louis Zabaneh. There was also a separate meeting between him and Governor General, Dame Froyla Tzalam.
