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.... Editorial

26th January 2010
The French Effort

Ever since the earthquake in Haiti, there have been many who have chosen to write pieces that point the finger at France as one of the main influences that have kept her former colony in what has turned out to be the grip of inexorable poverty.
Here in St. Lucia, we have found France to be a generous, open hearted sister-country, on whom we can count with an infinite confidence whenever a hand is needed to assist us in our development ... whether infrastructural, cultural, societal, educational ... or in any field, a strong friendly boost up would be further our welfare.
Despite a lack of coverage in the media, France’s efforts in support of stricken Haiti have been tremendous and we feel the urge, in reciprocity for the amount of humanitarian and loving affection she has shown us over the years, to bring to light some of the tremendous assistance she has extended to the Haitian people.
As soon as she learned of the earthquake, France immediately mobilized to deploy civilian and military personnel on the ground to come to the aid of the Haitian people and assist the 1,400 French nationals living in Haiti.
Personnel and equipment deployed: immediately, 246 rescuers, 235 support and command personnel, 29 gendarmes and 9 dogs were deployed, with 130 tonnes of equipment.
The French search-and-rescue and rubble-clearing teams have worked on 8 sites and continue working on new ones. They have located and extricated from the rubble several survivors. A field hospital (70 people, 33 tonnes), an advanced medical unit (70 people, 6 tonnes) and 10 mobile medical teams are at work in Port-au-Prince. A water purification unit has been installed capable of supplying up to 20,000 people a day. A sécurité civile [emergency services] helicopter is assisting the rescuers.
3 military planes are making daily round trips between Haiti and the French West Indies and have already delivered 27.5 tonnes of equipment and emergency supplies (food and drinking water) to Port-au-Prince. In addition France has decided to make a €2 million exceptional food allocation.
 
 

These deployments were made rapidly thanks to the efficiency and excellent spirit of cooperation of the American air traffic control authorities at Port-au-Prince airport.
Another aircraft chartered by the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs left Paris on 17 January carrying 100 search-and-rescue and rubble-clearing specialists and a consular crisis team tasked with helping in the evacuation.
2 French naval vessels (a light transport and landing ship and landing platform dock [ship]) arrived in the area, strengthening the country’s capabilities: civil engineering equipment, vehicles, 2 heavy helicopters and 2 light helicopters.
So far, over 650 French relief personnel are assisting the Haitian people and French nationals.
Finally, the French capabilities have also been made available to the NGOs, which have used them to transport humanitarian workers and several tonnes of equipment.
Continuing her active efforts to help the Haitian population suffering so terribly from the 12 January earthquake, France has decided to respond to the emergency appeal for Haiti launched by the United Nations on Friday, 16 January with a contribution of €10 million.
The above information was gleaned and adapted from a Communiqué issued by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs in Paris on January 18th, 2010. Since then more aid has undoubtedly been supplied to Haiti from the French.
We thought it was an aspect of the global effort being put out to help Haiti that you should know about and on behalf of our stricken sister-Caribbean country, we extend thanks to the Government and people of France.

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