(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) As the death toll in Haiti continues to rise following the passage of Tropical Storm Isaac, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has expressed deep regrets at the loss of lives and the widespread damage in that CARICOM Member State.
In a message to Haiti, the Secretary-General lamented that the recent occurrence would add to the burden of Haiti, which is still recovering from the 2010 earthquake, and jeopardise its food security. “The Caribbean Community stands in solidarity with the Government and people of Haiti at this trying time and is confident that together we can overcome the challenges posed by this disaster,” Secretary-General LaRocque said.
The full text of the message reads: In the wake of the deadly passage of Tropical Storm Isaac on Saturday, 25 August 2012 in Haiti, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) deeply regrets the loss of lives and the widespread damage, particularly in the predominantly agriculture-producing southern region. The extensive flooding in that region has resulted in the loss of crops, damage to infrastructure isolating a number of villages and to personal property.
The Community acknowledges that this recent occurrence will add to the burden of the country which is still recovering from the devastating earthquake of 2010 as well as jeopardise the country’s food security. I am pleased to note that the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CEDEMA), the relevant Community Institution, has been in contact with the authorities in Haiti and is mobilizing to assist the Member State in mitigating the effects of this natural disaster. The Caribbean Community stands in solidarity with the Government and people of Haiti at this trying time and is confident that together we can overcome the challenges posed by this disaster.
