7 News Belize

Bedding For The Needy
posted (October 29, 2010)
And back to Yabra…as we've shown you, the need for bedding is acute - as people have been sleeping essentially on the ground.

Today they got some relief as 1,657 sleeping mats donated by the Corozal Mayor were delivered to needy persons on a basis of one sleeping mat per two persons.

And while most of the victims of hurricane Richard are grateful for the handouts, this one resident of Reggae Street says it's unfair that others, like some of her neighbors, are being left out in the process.

Hurricane Victim
"I am satisfied right; at least they are trying to give something to us but we are talking about the rest of people. I have neighbors that really need just like me. I live right over there, that's my house, I have 5 kids, I have young babies. My step and my door are gone; I can't leave it like that and leave my kids to go see about myself. Which in if you want help you have to seek help but then I am begging for help and I want somebody to come and see me; I live at #18 Queen Charlotte Street. I need a step; I have to jump in and jump out. I have a 3 month old baby and I cannot leave just like that. My neighbors had sign up for assistance, if not just that they want or that they are greedy but they really need it. I am concern about my neighbors because when things happen to me they are concern about me too. I have to share half of my things to my neighbors because they need; that is really unfair."

The man charged with the distribution of the sleeping mats, Councillor Eric Chang says this type of concern is expected in the aftermath of most disasters.

Eric Chang, Councillor
"What happen is that we are delivering door to door and house to house and whoever receives it they sign for it. Maybe its unfortunate the same time we were delivering the person was not at home, so it's unfortunate we can't deliver to the person that's why when I was driving through earlier I tell everybody around the area to please to home and wait for the deliverers."

Jim McFadzean
"There are checks and balances?"

Roger Espejo, Councillor
Definitely, that's what people have been complaining about from the very beginning. They have been saying that is process is too bureaucratic and that's it's been too lengthy. That is in a way the price that we all have to pay."

Chang says documentation of the distribution is being done and will be forwarded to NEMO as part of the records keeping and accountability process.



A Concert To Lighten Up Things


Another city councilor trying to add to the effort if Dion Leslie. He's staging the usual concert in the park tomorrow with an added element - a food drive for affected families:

Once again, the Concert in the Park food drive gets underway tomorrow at Battlefield Park from Ten in the morning until Two in the afternoon.

And on Sunday in that same Battlefield park, the Indian community plans on giving away more than Five thousand food packets to those Belizeans who suffered financial losses as a result of Hurricane Richard. The group made up of mostly merchants are working closely with the Mayor's office and the Police to make sure that the relief exercise goes without incident, like the one "Monica Bodden reported on earlier in this newscast." The event is scheduled to coincide with the observance of Diwali - which is the biggest festival for Indians all over the world.



Tower Resurrected


And Before we close tonight, we have an update for those viewers who depend on our over the air signal to see channel 7. Our broadcasting tower which was pulled down by a falling tree during the storm has now been replaced.

Work to finish installing the new 150 foot structure concluded this afternoon.

Now it has to be rigged with the transmission line and broadcasting antennae which should be finished by Sunday. So, those folks who rely on the over the air signal should have it restored, hopefully by Sunday. We thank you for your patience in the past week as we worked through this major hurdle as quickly as we could. And that's 7news this evening….

We end what has been a busy week in the wake of Hurricane Richard…

We leave with you some of the images and sounds that gave us pause this week… Goodnight and thanks for watching.

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