Minister Vaz Appeals for Funds to Boost Haitian Relief Fund:

Minister with responsibility for Information, Daryl Vaz has made an appeal for funds raised by various private entities to be put towards the Haitian Relief Fund, in order to provide further financial assistance in processing the Haitian refugees who arrived in the island earlier this week.
Mr. Vaz told a press briefing this morning at Jamaica House that the Haitian Relief Fund now stands at $14-million. However, he noted that the estimates received so far indicate that it will cost the government $9 million for one week’s stay and for transportation costs to return the Haitians to their homeland.
‘We are therefore appealing to all the various entities to channel the funds raised into the Haitian Relief Fund. While we aim to honour our commitment to support Haiti, given our budgetary constraints, Jamaica cannot sustain a long term operation in this regard. The extent of our assistance will therefore be dependent on the availability of support to cover the cost of the various relief efforts, bearing in mind that the deployment of the Jamaican contingent to Haiti has already cost the nation in excess of $100 Million’, Mr. Vaz said.