Britain gives hurricane aid to Haiti and Cuba
News from Cuba | Saturday, 17 November 2012
by Roger Bagley for the Morning Star
Britain announced a limited package of aid to hurricane-ravaged Haiti and Cuba today.
The two countries were badly hit by Hurricane Sandy, with three million people affected in Cuba and 1.5 million citizens of Haiti still at risk of severe shortages of food and drinking water.
International Development Secretary Justine Greening said that Britain would provide £7 million worth of humanitarian support to the people of Haiti.
In addition, Cuba would receive £850,000 of immediate life-saving support for emergency shelter and relief.
Ms Greening estimated that Britain's aid package would provide help to two million people in Haiti and 20,000 in Cuba.
She said: "Haiti and Cuba were the hardest hit by Sandy outside the US.
"On top of recent drought and flooding, Haiti is still trying to get back on its feet after the 2010 earthquake."
In Cuba water and electricity supplies had been knocked out and "significant damage" had been caused to hospitals and housing.
