THE port at Jamaica, now clogged with donations for Haiti, cannot accommodate Guyana’s contributions presently, hence the first shipment of assistance will be made late next week, Minister of Human Services and Social Security Priya Manickchand said yesterday.

Speaking at the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Thomas Lands, Georgetown, Manickchand explained that Jamaica is the ‘staging’ area, which stores all the donations for Haiti as nothing would go directly to the devastated country because of its broken down structures.

In Barbados today, she said a ‘plan writing’ meeting will be held where several matters will be sorted out and the preparation of a budget will also discussed.

The Minister spoke about a number of organisations that are hosting events in the name of Haiti, but declared that the ‘Relief Committee’ is not sponsoring concerts, car washing, etc, and that it will keep the public informed on what exactly it is sponsoring.

She remarked that persons are however free to conduct these activities once they would have complied with all the laws of the country such as getting in touch with the revenue authorities or the Police.

So far, she noted that responses by citizens have been forthcoming to assist the Committee in acquiring goods for 13 containers which John Fernandes Limited has consented to loading and storing free of charge.

A representative of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Credit Union, Mr. Lelon Saul, donates $150,000 to the Relief Committee

Donations yesterday came from the New Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation (GPC), the Women’s Progressive Organisation (WPO), the Guyana Rice Producers Association (GRPA), the National Enhancement Committee, School of Nations, Cummings Electrical, the Alliance for Change (AFC), Friends of the Needy, The Guyana Muslim Commission and the Federation of Independent Trade Unions.

The bank account that was established by the ‘Relief Committee’ has so far received several donations which, as of last Wednesday, amounts to $237,299,255.

Last Wednesday, several commercial banks, together with members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF), donated a total of $15.5M to the Committee, which was established by Government last week.

Together, the Bank of Nova Scotia, Citizens Bank, Demerara Bank, the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), Republic Bank, and the Bank of Baroda, contributed $13.5M, while Assistant Commissioner of Police Mr. Krishna Lekhraj, donated $2M on behalf of the GPF.

Minister Manickchand is urging all who have relatives in Haiti to make this known through the ‘Relief Committee’, the CDC or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so that an attempt can be made to locate them.

She said the Relief Committee plans to maintain efforts to assist Haiti for as long as is necessary, and is also committed to keeping a transparent accounting process.

She remarked also that no money received as donations will be going to any administrative cost of the committee.

The committee comprises a representative from all the political parties, two members of Cabinet, three representatives of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO’s) and a representative of the three major religious groups.