The United States is committed to helping the people of the Caribbean recover and rebuild from the devastating series of hurricanes that have hit the region.
To date we have identified $13.3 million dollars to support vital humanitarian and reconstruction needs. The President also has requested an additional $50 million dollars from Congress, which would boost total U.S. contributions to the region’s people to $63.3 million.
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) disaster relief specialists are currently in Haiti and Grenada. Agency consultants also are working in the Bahamas and Jamaica to help coordinate our ongoing response to the needs of the hurricane-affected populations.
To date we have organized a total of 15 airlifts to affected areas of the region to deliver emergency relief, including plastic sheeting for shelter, hygiene kits, water purification units, food and medical supplies. A 16th airlift containing 10 emergency medical kits and 2 surgical kits, which can serve approximately 10,000 people for 3 months, is expected to arrive in Haiti on October 3.
The $13.3 million in assistance already identified is being used as follows:
Haiti: $5.3 million, including $2.7 million in emergency humanitarian assistance and $2.6 million for reconstruction projects.
Grenada: $3.3 million, including $900,000 in emergency humanitarian assistance and $2.4 million for reconstruction projects.
Jamaica: $4.2 million, including $700,000 in emergency humanitarian assistance and $3.5 million for reconstruction projects.
Bahamas: $400,000 in emergency humanitarian assistance.
Dominican Republic: $50,000 in emergency humanitarian assistance.
Cuba: $50,000 in emergency humanitarian assistance.
The United States will continue to work with the people of the Caribbean to ensure that they have the support they need to recover from these terrible natural disasters.
2004/1062
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