On Friday, we told you how relief efforts on San Pedro have raised 225 thousand dollars to aid the 98 residents who lost everything in the June 27 fire.
The residents have been getting help from generous donors, the Emergency Operations Committee, the Belize Red Cross and other NGOs. The NEMO Ministry has also chipped in to help out, but the victims are short of as much as 700 thousand dollars to cover the total losses.
So today, we asked the NEMO Minister how much aid can the residents reasonably expect the Government to provide them. He told us that he has to balance the need against his Ministry's resources:
Hon. Edmond Castro - Minister of State, NEMO
"From the get go within the first 3 hours NEMO was out there assisting those victims with basics such as food, hygiene and we followed up with some of the other hardware such as stoves, gas tanks, bed, bedding, mattress and so on. NEMO has played a significant role in terms delivering of those good and services to the people affected in that fire."
Daniel Ortiz
"We understand that the total estimate for damages for that entire fire is around a million dollars and they've raised the San Pedro Lion's Club and the Radio-ton combined has raised something 160-170 thousand dollars. In terms of what is feasible and what you can expect how much relief efforts can the NEMO ministry reasonably make to assist in a situation where 800 and odd thousand dollars is in deficit?"
Hon. Edmond Castro - Minister of State, NEMO
"It doesn't work like that. What you are assessing is probably the cost to rebuild structures and the government of Belize is not in the business of rebuilding a store for example or businesses. We are in the business of trying to take care of the victims who have been affected who burnt out and so we are there trying to get them back on their feet as soon as possible. We are trying to provide them with other things to get give them a start."
If you would like to help the fire victims, you can deposit money to the San Pedro Red Cross Belize Bank Account number 620911031720, or the San Pedro Lions Club Atlantic Bank Account number 211382902. Deadline for donations is July 31.
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