- Title: In Reuters interview, Haiti's Privert plays down international aid
- Date: 12th October 2016
- Summary: PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (OCTOBER 11, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AND CARS ON STREETS EXTERIOR NATIONAL PALACE PROVISIONAL PRESIDENT OF HAITI JOCELERME PRIVERT BEING INTERVIEWED (SOUNDBITE) (French) JOCELERME PRIVERT, PROVISIONAL PRESIDENT OF HAITI, SAYING: "We must put them back to work. We must rehabilitate our roads. We must rehabilitate our bridges. We must re-adapt our schools. Today, there is a lot of good will. There are many actors. There are many personalities, in both political and civil society who organise to bring aid to victims but they could do that because the state played their part which is firstly to make the roads function, eliminate the inaccessibility that many communities affected by the hurricane find themselves in." JEREMIE, HAITI (OCTOBER 10, 2016) (REUTERS) MAN WALKING BY HOUSES DESTROYED BY HURRICANE MATTHEW FLATTENED HOUSES MAGENTA HOUSE MISSING ROOF FROM HURRICANE DAMAGE VARIOUS OF LITTLE GIRL OUTSIDE RUBBLE OF HOUSE PILE OF RUBBLE OF DESTROYED HOUSES PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (OCTOBER 11, 2016) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (French) JOCELERME PRIVERT, PROVISIONAL PRESIDENT OF HAITI, SAYING: "That will depend on our capacity to manage well this need. That depends on the orientation that we want to give this response to aid for this catastrophe." JEREMIE, HAITI (OCTOBER 10, 2016) (REUTERS) BOX OF AID FROM US AID VARIOUS OF BRAZILIAN SOLDIERS FOR MINUSTAH CARRYING AID BOXES FROM USAID AND PUTTING ON TRUCK BOXES OF AID ARMED SOLDIER GUARDING AID SOLDIERS GUARDING TRUCK WITH AID THAT DRIVES AWAY PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI (OCTOBER 11, 2016) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (French) JOCELERME PRIVERT, PROVISIONAL PRESIDENT OF HAITI, SAYING: "Since the government doesn't have all the means, all the resources, it must take advantage of the support from its principal partners. It is for that reason that I say we didn't make an official request, we didn't make a call for aid, we didn't make a call for assistance, but we are willing to receive all assistance coming from partners." VARIOUS OF MEMBER OF COLOMBIAN NAVY COUNTING BOXES OF AID FOR HURRICANE VICTIMS VARIOUS OF BOXES OF AID SIDE OF AID BOX LISTING CONTENTS HELICOPTER ON COLOMBIAN SHIP SEAMAN WORKING ON HELICOPTER TAIL OF HELICOPTER WITH COLOMBIAN FLAG AND ARC 227 HELICOPTER ON SHIP BRINGING AID, RESCUE AND MEDICAL OFFICIALS FOR DISASTER ASSISTANCE
- Embargoed: 27th October 2016 05:40
- Keywords: Jeremie Matthew aid reconstruction infrastructure
- Location: JEREMIE + PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI
- City: JEREMIE + PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI
- Country: Haiti
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00153KBEX3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Haitian interim President Jocelerme Privert on Tuesday (October 11) played down international aid response to Hurricane Matthew, saying that his government had taken critical first steps in the hurricane relief effort, while admitting there were still many more needs.
"We must put them back to work. We must rehabilitate our roads. We must rehabilitate our bridges. We must re-adapt our schools. Today, there is a lot of good will. There are many actors. There are many personalities, in both political and civil society who organize to bring aid to victims but they could do that because the state played their part which is firstly to make the roads function, eliminate the inaccessibility that many communities affected by the hurricane find themselves in," he said.
On October 4, southwestern Haiti was smashed by the Category 4 Hurricane Matthew which barreled through the southern coast of the Western Hemisphere's poorest nation, killing some 1,000 people and displacing hundreds of thousands.
Privert said the Haitian government had managed and steered aid to the proper channels and had opened up accessibility to many areas cut off after the storm because of flooding, landslides, downed trees and debris.
The country's civil guard is coordinating aid efforts, six years after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake leveled much of the nation's capital Port-au-Prince, where reconstruction is still ongoing and disillusionment about the involvement of the international community in the rebuilding runs high.
"That will depend on our capacity to manage this need well. That depends on the orientation that we want to give this response to aid for this catastrophe," he said.
Privert said his country had not made any formal request for aid, but welcomed countries willing to provide assistance.
"Since the government doesn't have all the means, all the resources, it must take advantage of the support from its principal partners. It is for that reason that I say we didn't make an official request, we didn't make a call for aid, we didn't make a call for assistance, but we are willing to receive all assistance coming from partners," he said.
Haitian officials have said aid has come in or been offered by the United States, Canada, Colombia, Cuba and the European Union. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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