The Sagicor Insurance Group will be making a contribution of US$250,000.00
to the relief efforts for Haiti. The PUP has also committed ten thousand dollars
for donation to the Red Cross. Sol Belize also gave a donation to the Red Cross
today and that gave us a chance to catch up on the drive to raise funds for
relief efforts.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
It is now believed that in excess of two hundred thousand people perished in
the 7.0 earthquake that devastated Haiti as thousands worldwide come to the
aid of this stricken Caribbean nation. Six days after the catastrophic quake
relief efforts continue pour into Haiti to rescue those who are still trapped,
in need of medical aid, water, food supplies and shelter.
Today the Belize Red Cross received yet another financial donation. It came
in the form of a cheque from Symposium Oil Limited, the parent company of Shell
Gas Station. According to Sol Belize General Manager Joe Habet the company does
have operations in Haiti and while there was some damage to their headquarters
luckily all of their staff has been accounted. The financial donation is just
a first to come but as explained by Joe Habet whatever monies collected will
depend largely on the public’s generosity.
Joe Habet, General Manager – Sol Belize
“On February fourth is our fifth anniversary of doing business in
Belize and as part of that initiative we were already starting some planning 
to have some media promotional activities around that date in two weeks. And
one of the initiatives were going to do at that time is on instruction from
our head office they ask every country to make a contribution to their local
charity based on amount from sales, 10 cents from every gallon. We were going
to do this on February 4th. With the incident in Haiti, we decided we wanted
to do it for an entire week and move it up to this week. So basically what we
were going to do on February fourth we started to do yesterday.
15 cents for every gallon sold at the service stations across Belize will
be contributed to this cause, to the Haiti Relief Fund. Our estimate is that
that number, based on our average sales at the moment, that number will be approximately
$20,000 at 15 cents per gallon based on our average sales so far. So the situation
in Haiti is dire so one of the things we are trying to do is today we are going
to a present a check for $10,000 to the Red Cross today and after a week is
completed and we get our sales tallied up and do the calculation, we will make
a further check for the difference but that number will be in excess of $20,000.”
The initiative is in conjunction with Sol Belize dealers.
Mark Hulse, Representative - Sol Belize Dealers
“So all Sol Stations selling fuel for this week, 15 cents of that
sale will be donated to the Haiti fund. As a dealer we are very proud to be
participating and I am sure it will be put to good use through the Red Cross.”
This past weekend the Red Cross, Travellers, Belize Telemedia Limited and WAVE
Radio held its first coordinated drive and from all accounts it was a success
with over fifty thousand dollars raised. The Red Cross hopes to raise an initial
one hundred thousand dollars. The first cash donation will be forwarded at the
end of the month to the international federation of Red Cross. But only one 
week after the Belize Red Cross launched its relief efforts their public relations
officer Ralph Martinez says it is definite that they will exceed the targeted
amount.
Ralph Martinez, Public Relations – Belize Red Cross
“Up to date we have raised over $67,000. As in regards to what the
Red Cross is actually doing and that is actually not counting in the pledges.
We are still collecting pledges and we have some monies outstanding out there.
But what we have, cash on hand so far is over $67,000 so we are quite grateful
to all our sponsors.”
But as relief efforts pour into Haiti, logistics on the ground have been described
as a nightmare and the desperation of those affected has now resulted in mass
lootings. There are also reports of business persons taking advantage of the
situation by increasing prices on much needed supplies such as fuel.
Joe Habet says it is not a practice of their company to gouge in times of disaster.
He says what he does know is that it was only on Sunday that Sol following an
inspection of their pipelines the company was able to get in their first tanker
of fuel into Haiti following the earthquake.
Joe Habet,
“I cannot comment about what happens with the gas stations. What I
know of our company is that is not a practice we would ever do but you have
independents out there that would take advantage.”
Sol Limited does have a special working relationship with Haiti and it was
only last year following the company’s existence it started working on
its own brand of service stations that resulted in two of the first prototypes
constructed in the country. Reporting for 7News Jacqueline Godwin.
And while Sol Belize and its dealers do their part in bringing aid
to Haiti, presently on the ground in that country are over four hundred red
cross volunteers. Raphael Martinez says more than likely the group will be joined
by the Belize team that is prepared to leave.
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