As Haiti continues to evaluate the impact of Hurricane Matthew, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Rural Transformation in St Vincent and the Grenadines, the Hon. Saboto Caesar is calling for collective and immediate action by Latin America and Caribbean member states to assist the ravished nation.
Caesar, who also holds the chair as Caribbean Executive Coordinator for Parliamentary Fronts Against Hunger and Undernourishment in Latin America and the Caribbean said, “Climate change continues to impact negatively on our quest to reduce hunger in our region. This means longer droughts and more intense hurricanes are predicted.”
A disaster such as this one, he said, underscores the urgency of the work to be done globally regarding climate change.
“It is in fearful anticipation of tragic scenarios such as these why our efforts must strengthen.
“I strongly recommend an urgent recovery forum aimed at establishing a clear plan to make food available to the disaster struck regions of Haiti.”
“We mourn the loss of lives and empathize with the damage of property and infrastructure. It is my hope that our brothers and sisters find courage and inspiration to endure this ordeal,” Caesar said.
According to Haiti Libre, 14,530 people have been displaced, 2,703 families are affected and 1,885 houses are flooded. Five persons died during the hurricane passage.
In requesting the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and all Ministers of Agriculture in CARICOM, Minister Caesar further noted that Haiti’s disaster is the region’s problem to help solve.
It is impossible to put into words the anguish that Haitians are experiencing at this time, days after Hurricane Matthew moved through the islands of the Caribbean. It has become awfully apparent that the damage brought by the storm has been immense.
