Relief for Haiti

By K. NANCOO-RUSSELL

Freeport News Reporter

Two containers left the Freeport Harbour aboard the Discovery yesterday full of supplies and bound for Gonaïves and Port de Paix, Haiti, to assist in relief efforts in that country in the wake of several devastating hurricanes.

The containers, one 40-feet and the other 20-feet long, both contained boxes of food, clothing, shoes, toys and water that were collected during a drive held at the Red Cross Centre on Jobson Avenue.

It was at the centre yesterday that The Freeport News caught up with organizers of the relief mission as they prepared to send off the containers.

Jean Jean-Simon, president of the Grand Bahama Haitian Relief Committee (GBHRC), explained that the containers would first go to Fort Lau-derdale, where GBHRC me-mber Jetta Baptiste will ensure that it gets en route to Haiti.

Twelve members of the GBHRC will be going to Haiti to distribute the items and ensure that it gets to those in need, he explained. They are expected to return on November 20.

Jean-Simon said the organization received great cooperation from the local community.

"I want to say thank you to all the Grand Bahamians for all the support and all the effort they put together to make this movement come together.

They really responded," he said.

"I can't tell you how happy we are and how thankful we are to the community for responding in that magnitude to support the Haitian community."

He also expressed thanks to the Red Cross for their role in collecting the items.

Jean-Simon explained that the choice to send items to Gonaives was made since that area was more stricken than other parts of Haiti, and was almost completely destroyed by the hurricanes.

The containers will be shipped on Discovery Crui-ses through Tamaco Shipp-ing Company and Freeport Transfer Company.

Dr. George Charite, vice president of the GBHRC pointed out that Haiti, an already vulnerable country, is now crippled in terms of funds, supplies and food.

Charite explained that he will also be heading a medical team which will go to Haiti on November 7. That group will spend a week there, and will travel throughout the community educating persons so that they can avoid contracting any water-borne diseases.

"As you know, any time you have a hurricane or some type of condition like this, you have water-borne diseases, you have illnesses such as malaria, so we are going to educate persons in the community about their health concerns and their health needs," he said.

© 2008 The Freeport News