Disaster: why does food aid take so long to distribute?
Is it just me? How long do they think local people will stand by and watch as the food aid and relief supplies are piled up so near but so far? Haiti is being touted as the poorest country in the western world, yet still they starve.
We still don't know how many Haitians are affected...
The disastrous earthquake rocked Haiti a week ago and we still don't know how many Haitians are affected as they are concentrating on Port-Au-Prince. However the outlying towns were also affected so the real picture will probably only be visible much later. As far as the actual relief is concerned the Americans have arrived and taken over, but it's looking like Katrina all over again but to my mind remarkably worse.
Meanwhile the media and all that goes with it have turned up to show us the devastation that the people of Haiti have been put through with this natural occurrence. However, they cannot start to distribute the water, the food aid and medication that the people need quickly enough. WHY is this the case? When that tsunami struck a few years ago I don't recall this much confusion and chaos?
Let us not forget that we now have the DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee) and what their purpose is just eludes me completely; they're sitting their with their fancy planning, grand titles and so on, yet on the ground it seems that very little is being achieved and every day there is something new to report.
If they need more help why don't they speak to the local leaders? At this rate there will be more disaster as the locals turn on the foreigners and then each other. Perhaps they should recall the lyrics from Bob Marley's "Dem belly full but dem hungry, a hungry mob is a angry mob"
By: whatsthepoint
Comments from visitors
Sort:
Dont be silly, it costs money to help people and the charities are always reluctant to part with any of it, wages to pay you know.
+5
Click to rate 
Report
Living conditions in these countries mean that storing anything is impractical. Most people scratch an existence from day to day and drinking water is amongst the rarest of commodities for some of them. The concept of having even enough for each day, let alone storage for the future, is competely alien. Then there is the question of storage containers and space.
Underlying this problem is that the authorities and governments in those countries are incompetent, corrupt, and unconcerned, relying on handouts from the West time after time, and you can see the problem. They are unable and uninterested in helping themselves, and always will be while there are richer countries around to provide handouts, which is why 'aid' is a bad idea.
Underlying this problem is that the authorities and governments in those countries are incompetent, corrupt, and unconcerned, relying on handouts from the West time after time, and you can see the problem. They are unable and uninterested in helping themselves, and always will be while there are richer countries around to provide handouts, which is why 'aid' is a bad idea.
-2
Click to rate Report
It's amazing how nature slaps humanity in the face now and then just to remind us who's boss.
As for clean drinking water. Rolls of cellophane and ice cream tubs are all that are required!
As for clean drinking water. Rolls of cellophane and ice cream tubs are all that are required!
0
Click to rate Report
The floods were too powerful and too sudden. Great "walls of water" washed away homes and businesses. People were lucky to escape with their lives. Bottles of water would have just been washed away too.
0
Click to rate Report
Why is it only Western countries that are flocking to help Haiti? I don't see China or India helping much even though they spend a lot on nuclear weapons and space programmes
+1
Click to rate Report
I suggested that every country in an earthquake zone should get their people to fill up a load of empty plastic pop bottles with water, and store it close by,
In a few days time some people of Chile will have to drink dirty water, as there won't be any clean supplies, the lack of drinking water there will be on the news, a simple solution.
In a few days time some people of Chile will have to drink dirty water, as there won't be any clean supplies, the lack of drinking water there will be on the news, a simple solution.
+5
Click to rate Report
Gainsborough lad. - 28-Feb-10 09:21
First Haiti, and now Chili, the Hadron collider has just been started up, coincidence?
+6
Click to rate Report
I agree with what "Fairy" says, there is too much red tape, I was watching CNN about a week after it happened and a reporter asked the American military commander who was in charge at the airport if he knew that hunderds of people camped outside the airport had no food and no water and he said he was not aware of that ! so what chance did anyone else have. The Americans seemed to be more interested in poseing about in their Hummers. A reporter filmed an Israeli field hospital treating people and doing surgery and he said the Americans have not got one field hospital up and running! yet the Israelis came from the other side of the world and have their hospital up and running, he said he was ashamed to be American ! But its not just them, its other organizations too. While they count their boxes and make stupid excuses people are dying !!
+1
Click to rate Report
There is no excuse for how long it is taking for the aid to reach these people. You have individuals and small groups out there getting the job done with a lot less than what the U.N. , various militaries and large aid groups have at their disposal! When they go to disperse this food they claim that the people start getting rowdy or whatever and so then take off without handing out the supplies. What a load of crap! As long as these aid workers are not in danger-and they're not because they stay on the vehicles-just throw the supplies out already! It's a chance they have to take! They claim to be afraid the people will injure each other or whatever but what is the alternative? The people will just sit there and die or turn on each other anyway-there's nothing to lose!
They can drop these people food! They can if they want to-there's no excuse why they can't! If they can drop bombs on innocent people in war, they can drop these people some food! Why are people so blind to what is going on over there! They have DONATED food and supplies sitting there and making people sign for it-tying everything up in red tape! There is no time for that foolishness-time is of the essence. Stop taking inventory and get that stuff out there! The media is already starting to lose focus on this and so many of us have short attention spans-we're missing what is going on over there. We need to put pressure on our governments, the media, these aid groups, etc. to let them know that we are watching and what they ae doing-or not doing-is totally unacceptable! Haiti needs help NOW!!!
They can drop these people food! They can if they want to-there's no excuse why they can't! If they can drop bombs on innocent people in war, they can drop these people some food! Why are people so blind to what is going on over there! They have DONATED food and supplies sitting there and making people sign for it-tying everything up in red tape! There is no time for that foolishness-time is of the essence. Stop taking inventory and get that stuff out there! The media is already starting to lose focus on this and so many of us have short attention spans-we're missing what is going on over there. We need to put pressure on our governments, the media, these aid groups, etc. to let them know that we are watching and what they ae doing-or not doing-is totally unacceptable! Haiti needs help NOW!!!
0
Click to rate Report
To Communitarian, I did not say "that the bigger countries want to stop the poorer countries being reliant and hence them being "slow" to respond". read my comment again ! The "Big" countries want the Haitians to be self reliant, not to stop the poorer countries being reliant.
As to suggest there is no such policy in the world. I would suggest that you stop being so naive.
As to suggest there is no such policy in the world. I would suggest that you stop being so naive.
0
Click to rate Report
MikeP is always whining on about " trolls ". It seems to be incomprehensible to him that other people can hold opinions different to his own. Perhaps he suffers from super-sensitivity?
+2
Click to rate Report
communitarian : I don't know why you dignify the ridiculous comments that some of these idiots write by replying to them. They are simply trolls and looking for a reaction.
+2
Click to rate Report
I am an Aid worker and felt the absolute need to respond to some of the ignorance.
To at300 - many don't choose to live in an earthquake zone - they are born there often in extreme poverty and no other country will permit them to immigrate as they have no education etc.. poverty often dictates a persons whole life and choices. Stop being ignorant to how the poor have nothing, can often become nothing and certainly cant just pick up and move to a non earthquake zone like we can.
To comentor - There is no such policy in this world as you suggest - that the bigger countries want to stop the poorer countries being reliant and hence them being "slow" to respond. Especially when such a disaster of this magnitude hits.
To just stay calm and carry on - these people do not have different digestive systems to us! They are human beings just like YOU. The only thing that will alter their digestive system over time is extreme hunger/malnutrition that has gone on for weeks - not days, as has been the case in Haiti. They would certainly not "eat themselves to death" as you say!! Again complete ignorance.
To dobbo 996 - well done - the main reason aid is not getting through is that there is no formal government functional system, no infrastructure - roads being main one and airports damaged.
To at300 - many don't choose to live in an earthquake zone - they are born there often in extreme poverty and no other country will permit them to immigrate as they have no education etc.. poverty often dictates a persons whole life and choices. Stop being ignorant to how the poor have nothing, can often become nothing and certainly cant just pick up and move to a non earthquake zone like we can.
To comentor - There is no such policy in this world as you suggest - that the bigger countries want to stop the poorer countries being reliant and hence them being "slow" to respond. Especially when such a disaster of this magnitude hits.
To just stay calm and carry on - these people do not have different digestive systems to us! They are human beings just like YOU. The only thing that will alter their digestive system over time is extreme hunger/malnutrition that has gone on for weeks - not days, as has been the case in Haiti. They would certainly not "eat themselves to death" as you say!! Again complete ignorance.
To dobbo 996 - well done - the main reason aid is not getting through is that there is no formal government functional system, no infrastructure - roads being main one and airports damaged.
0
Click to rate Report
communitarian - 28-Jan-10 12:36
The answer is simple. The infrastructure in Haiti, which is poor and made poorer by the earthquake, has slowed things down to a crawl.
+1
Click to rate Report
They chose to live in an earthquake zone stabbing pins in dolls so no sympathy from me I'm afraid.
0
Click to rate Report
Just to add to the idea of dropping thick work gloves onto earthquake zones, these could be made by prisoners around the world in their prisons beforehand, and then dropped by small parachute from hercules type aircraft in bundles of a dozen,
This could be done less than twenty four hours after the earthquake if someone got their act together, how many times have we all seen people on tv after an earthquake somewhere in the world, frantically tearing at piles of rubble and concrete with their bare hands?
Wearing a pair of work gloves whilst doing this would see much better rusults for the effort given, and I estimate that a strong man could lift twice as much weight wearing gloves of this type as the materials in a demolished building are hard to grip with bare hands (concrete, bricks ect)
This could be done less than twenty four hours after the earthquake if someone got their act together, how many times have we all seen people on tv after an earthquake somewhere in the world, frantically tearing at piles of rubble and concrete with their bare hands?
Wearing a pair of work gloves whilst doing this would see much better rusults for the effort given, and I estimate that a strong man could lift twice as much weight wearing gloves of this type as the materials in a demolished building are hard to grip with bare hands (concrete, bricks ect)
-3
Click to rate Report
Gainsborough lad. - 21-Jan-10 22:58
I see in the news that some of the Haitians are starting to fend for themselves because aid is so slow, I think this is the policy of the "big" countries so that the Haitians won't get too used to recieving aid.
+2
Click to rate Report
These people have different digestive systems than the westerners if we let all the food flood out they would eat themselves to death it needs to be monitored and rationed so we dont kill the people lucky enough to be free from the rubble who are then helping the trapped one. I know it sounds harsh but needs must to save the great good. You have to remember that these food parcels need to come from somewhere they are not just stored in a warehouse for such occasion as that would be a waste. they are collected together as quickly as humanly possible and flown, sailed driven or walked. Help is on the way it just takes time its a reality that we all need to get over.
+2
Click to rate Report
Just stay calm and carry on - 20-Jan-10 14:57
I totally agree, had there be a political coup the Western armies would have moved in with no problem finding landing spaces and bringing in shelter, food, medicine etc.
The problem is that there is no incentive to the West to go and poke their noze into the country, the tv reports how much each goverment is pledging to give but as we know this is never going to materialize. It is not by error that certain countries are kept poor while their neighbours are doing well. We saw what happened when Katrina hit the states, this is not different. We need an 'army' of volunteers to go wherever needed in the world (providing the country is safe), maybe even giving incentive to school leavers and out of work force to spend 3-12 months abroad helping others while still getting their benefits. I love the suggestion of dropping gloves, the haitians have done a marvellous job so far with their bare hands and could use any implements that would facilitate their search for survivors and to clear up the mess. My heart goes out to them and I am thankful that this did not happen here.
The problem is that there is no incentive to the West to go and poke their noze into the country, the tv reports how much each goverment is pledging to give but as we know this is never going to materialize. It is not by error that certain countries are kept poor while their neighbours are doing well. We saw what happened when Katrina hit the states, this is not different. We need an 'army' of volunteers to go wherever needed in the world (providing the country is safe), maybe even giving incentive to school leavers and out of work force to spend 3-12 months abroad helping others while still getting their benefits. I love the suggestion of dropping gloves, the haitians have done a marvellous job so far with their bare hands and could use any implements that would facilitate their search for survivors and to clear up the mess. My heart goes out to them and I am thankful that this did not happen here.
+2
Click to rate Report
With the abundent amount of waste re-sealable plastic pop bottles thrown away on this planet, I think it would be a good idea if every house or apartment in an earthquake zone stored loads of them (full of clean water) in their houses, sheds, garages, or even some building or place in their town or city, clean water is one of the first things that seem to run out when disasters like this happen.
And I also think one of the first things to be dropped by aircraft should be thick work gloves by the dozen, (where demolished houses are spotted) for moving bricks, girders, and hardcore a lot more easily, these could prove vital in getting people out more quickly.
But back to the gripe, food aid does seem sluggish, and once delivered to the locals, I am sure some of it will end up making some criminal minded people some money.
And I also think one of the first things to be dropped by aircraft should be thick work gloves by the dozen, (where demolished houses are spotted) for moving bricks, girders, and hardcore a lot more easily, these could prove vital in getting people out more quickly.
But back to the gripe, food aid does seem sluggish, and once delivered to the locals, I am sure some of it will end up making some criminal minded people some money.
-1
Click to rate Report
Sort:
