ACP CIVIL SOCIETY FORUM
STATEMENT FROM THE CHAIRPERSON


PHOTO: Lawman Lynch, Chair of the ACP Civil Society Forum

The Civil Society Forum of the ACP States is totally disturbed about the slowness with which needed aid is getting to the Haitian people. We are well aware that tremendous financial aid is presently being committed to the cause, with the EU contributing approximately three million Euros to the relief efforts.

There is clearly a problem with coordination, and frankly, the United States of America have taken control of the airport and borders, thus having under its management all ports of entry into Haiti. This has been apparently accepted by CARICOM, but Jamaica has been designated and confirmed the hub of all relief efforts heading to Haiti, as such, it is our firm belief that the ACP Civil Society prepares itself to offer meaningful and organized aid for the Haitian people.

There is another crisis on hand : in a couple of days many Haitians will flood the borders of Jamaica and other Caribbean countries in boats. The Caribbean countries, already facing serious economic crises, will shelter the refugees.

It is imperative that we are funded to carry out a strategic and proactive response programme that will see to the sustained development of the State in crisis. ACP Civil Society Forum is therefore proposing:

1. Since there seems to be a problem with logistics, we need to partner with agencies such as the Salvation Army and the Red Cross to transport resources that have already been collected across the Caribbean region, so that shipment can be arranged and delivered in an orderly and timely manner.
2. ACP Civil Society must ensure that there is a team dispatched to Haiti, to assist with recovery, but most importantly, rebuilding. We are not interested in being put up in hotels etc, the main interest is to get there and help, this is pivotal.
3. We have identified a Salvation Army owned property in Port-au-Prince that could house volunteers; as such we need help with securing tents for volunteers.
4. Of greater importance is the sustainable rebuilding and development exercise. The ACP Civil Society Forum therefore needs to meet and implement an extensive youth and community development exercise that would incorporate issues relating to the affected.

Lawman Lynch
Chairman
ACP Civil Society Forum