BY RICHARD LORD
The T&T Government is to contribute more than $26 million to Jamaica,
Haiti and Cuba in hurricane relief efforts.
Foreign Affairs Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon revealed this yesterday
during a news conference at her office at Knowsley Building in Port of
Spain.
Gopee-Scoon said Cabinet had decided to give Jamaica and Haiti $10
million each, and Cuba US$1 million.
She said the funds for Jamaica and Haiti would be taken from the Caricom
Petroleum Fund and for Cuba from the Contingency Fund.
Haiti had been hit by two hurricanes in recent days resulting in the
deaths of 88 people from floods, landslides and fallen trees.
Gopee-Scoon said there had been 11 reported deaths and significant
infrastructure damage in Jamaica, after the passage of Hurricane Gustav.
Cubans have described Hurricane Gustav as the worst experienced by the
Caribbean island since 1956.
Several electricity towers and poles were blown down in Cuba. About
930,000 chickens and 161,000 pigs had to be euthanised and thousands
acres of grain and fruit were destroyed as a result of the hurricane.
Gopee-Scoon said all T&T nationals in those countries were reported to
be safe and secure.
She said there had been no requests for evacuation of T&T nationals in
those countries.
She, however, confirmed a request from nationals in Turks and Caicos
Islands for T&T nationals there to be brought back home because of the
imminent passage of Hurricane Ike in a few days.
She said this matter was getting her priority attention.
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