UN Chief sends message of support to Haiti

By James Blears

The lashing rains of Tropical Storm Grace are not yet done with the southwestern peninsula of Haiti, which was crushed by the devastating earthquake. Revised assessments now reveal 60,000 homes have been destroyed, thousands more are unsafe, two thousand or more people have died, and hundreds more have been injured.

In the midst of Mother Nature`s absolute worst, UN Chief Antonio Guterres has spoken across borders, frontiers and oceans assuring Haitians: "You`re NOT alone. We stand by your side during these trying times. The United Nations continues to assist those affected, with humanitarian aid, medical supplies, health care, clean water, shelter...and more." The UN has also donated eight million dollars of immediate emergency funding. 

Clarissa Etienne, the Director of the Pan American Health Organization, is highlighting the urgent need for medical specialists coupled with medicines and rescue experts, stressing there could still yet be people alive, trapped and running out of time. 

Setting aside mundane political and ideological differences, Mexico, Colombia, Panama, the Dominican Republic, the United States, and even Venezuela - which itself is suffering acute shortages of daily staples - have sent everything they can. US search and rescue teams are working around the clock, battling exhaustion, trying their utmost, and then some, to save as many as they can. It`s providing a lifeline for people who`ve literally reached the end of the line.