– Another shipment of containers expected to leave Friday (small head)

The first shipment of relief materials donated to the National Haitian Disaster Relief Committee left the shores of Guyana last evening from the John Fernandes Wharf, headed for Jamaica.

A representative of Regal Stationery and Computer Centre hands over a contribution to the Haiti Relief, to Minister of Human Services and Social Security Ms. Priya Manickchand, yesterday. Minister of Transport and Hydraulics Mr. Robeson Benn looks on.	The Mothers of Guyana for Mothers in Haiti.
The Guyana Lottery Company	Staff of the Guyana Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU).
Members of the Berbice Telethon Group.	A representative of Hand-In-Hand hands over their contribution.

Director of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) Colonel Chabilall Ramsarup stated from the Conference Room of the organisation yesterday that associates in Jamaica, the focal point for shipping to Haiti, have reported that the way is clear. The containers are expected to be in Jamaica by February 3.

Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Ms. Priya Manickchand, said that four containers which left yesterday contain flour, coconut oil, pharmaceuticals, bottled water and clothing.

Several entities came forward to present their contributions. The staff of Metro made a donation of 20 bags of clothing. Donations made in cash or cheque are as follows: Regal Stationery and Computer Centre ($300,000), Guyana Lotto Company ($1M), Guyana Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU)Staff $97,500), Cheddi Jagan Research Centre Staff ($6,000), Berbice Telethon ($5,575,000), Hand-In-Hand ($1M), Stewartville Secondary School ($101,000), Gem Madhoo-Nascimento and Princess Buddy Hotel Haiti Fund Raising Concert ($220,000), Rangers Sport Club of Parika ($20,000), Monar Education Institute ($41,000) and Mothers of Guyana for Mothers in Haiti Walkathon ($1,139,000).

These donations were added to the previous figure of $245,114,000 which was announced by Minister Manickchand.

Ms Manickchand expressed gratitude for the contributions, promising that the whole amount would go to the people of Haiti with none being spent on administrative costs. She stated that all efforts will be made so that the materials can reach the people of Haiti as quickly as possible. Another shipment of containers is expected to leave on Friday.

At a previous conference, Ms Manickchand had stated said there was no ceiling on the help that the Committee has set, since it would be an “indictment” on Guyana if “we could not help our brothers and sisters in their time of need.”

The earthquak
e, a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 on the Richter scale, was centred approximately 15 kilometres from Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, and struck around 17:00h local time on Tuesday, January 12.

Most of Port-au-Prince’s major land marks were significantly damaged or destroyed in the earthquake, including the Presidential Palace, the National Assembly Building, the Port-au-Prince Cathedral, the main jail and at least one hospital, and hundreds of thousands of persons are believed to have died.