The former
foreign minister said that the Hispanic region of the continent with
Cuba on the lead played an important part in the world efforts to
help his country overcome the disaster.
“We have to thank Commander in Chief Fidel Castro and President Raul
Castro and Cuba for initiating the Comprehensive Health Program and
also our friend Esteban Lazo [Cuban VP], who has helped us
throughout so many years,” Clerisme said.
He explained that approximately 200,000 Haitians died as a
consequence of the earthquake, while Cuban doctors have saved
thousands of lives since right after the natural phenomenon shook
the country.
Clerisme admitted that the distribution of the international aid has
been hindered by coordination problems.
He explained that the Government had assigned a mission to each of
the ministers concerning the distribution of aid and other tasks
since the very beginning, but it was very hard to find cooperation
amidst the catastrophe, he noted.
“Day by day, we step up in the coordination efforts so that our
people can receive what it is being sent over for them.”
Regarding the emigration of Haitians from Port-au-Prince, Clerisme
said experts had
originally considered establishing 10 sites for the quake refugees
on the outskirts of the devastated city, but this number was later
expanded as some 60 are needed to relocate the estimated 600,000
homeless.
