Due to extortion by Haitian port officials, none of the containers of relief items shipped to hurricane-devastated Haiti by NGO Is There Not a Cause (ITNAC) have been cleared as yet and citizens in need are still awaiting the supplies.
This was disclosed to T&T Guardian yesterday by ITNAC volunteer Deborah Dowlath, who recently returned from a five-day stay in Haiti.
Dowlath said shortly after Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti on October 17, ITNAC sent off three containers of supplies, including food, clothing, medical supplies, toiletries and other items. However, she admitted that the containers are still on the port due to a combination of things, including corrupt officials.
“It’s a whole set of red tape and bureaucracy to get them cleared. Everybody wants a cut,” she said.
A fourth container is on the way to Haiti and a fifth is being packed, and Dowlath said relief supplies from local companies, groups of workers, NGOs and individuals continued to pour in.
Asked why Haitian officials would not want to clear the containers given that they were for needy citizens, Dowlath said workers in Haiti are not represented by unions and may feel they are underpaid and also deserving of help. She said, however, that ITNAC has been hesitant about paying large sums of money to get their containers cleared. In the meantime, help from ITNAC has been reaching destitute families in villages that were ravaged by Matthew through money, she said.
ITNAC opened Help for Haiti accounts at First Citizens and Republic Bank branches in the wake of the hurricane and has been sending money collected to volunteers based there. Dowlath said the money is being used to buy food and medical and other supplies for families.
The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) is also coordinating relief for Haiti, but to date there has been no public information on how much money has been raised. Soon after Matthew devastated Haiti, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley announced that accounts would be opened at local banks where the public could make contributions. Banks agreed to open the accounts from October 10.
On a government mandate, the Bankers’ Association of Trinidad and Tobago (BATT), in collaboration with the OPM, established a Haiti Relief Hurricane Fund. BATT said each of its eight member banks opened an account and invited the public to make financial donations for Haiti.
BATT communications head, Dixie Ann Dickson, said yesterday the association facilitated the request by the OPM to create the Haiti fund.
“All funds collected will be distributed by the relevant banks in accordance with the parameters and compliance standards established at the time the accounts were opened and as advised to the OPM,” Dickson said.
“Each commercial bank will independently advise the public of the quantum of funds collected by its institution and the disposition of the funds in support of the Haiti relief effort.”
Attempts yesterday to get information from the OPM about the accounts were not successful. The T&T Guardian asked to speak to any one of three permanent secretaries in the OPM but was told one “was in a meeting” and the others “were not in the building.” Asked to speak to the communications department, we were told they were also in a meeting. The secretary to a permanent secretary asked for contact information and promised to get back to us, but up to press time there was no return call.
Monique’s story
Monique, a mother of seven of Casiril near Les Cayes in Haiti, lost her husband as well as the family’s plantation and their house during Hurricane Matthew.
But despite her troubles, she has offered her services to ITNAC. Monique has volunteered to help cook and serve food for people in Casiril who have nothing.
Dowlath, recounting Monique’s story, said the day before Matthew struck, her husband went out to sea to fish, but did not heed her warnings to stay closer to shore. He and his friend later drowned.
Dowlath said ITNAC is planning to give some Christmas cheer to people from the village of Fonds des Negres, another area devastated by Matthew.
“A group will be leaving on December 24 and will return home on the 29. We will have a Christmas treat for the children and their parents with toys, decorations and a nice meal,” Dowlath said.
Containers sent by the San Fernando Help for Haiti Committee have also not reached Haiti as yet, committee member Matthew Kailah said yesterday. Kailah said their containers are expected to arrive as early as this weekend and they have had no bumps so far and hope they don’t encounter any in Haiti.