THE EDITOR, Sir:THE JAMAICAN Government should be commended for the humane and timely gesture made in establishing a special fund to help victims of the tsunami
disaster, and by going one step further by dispatching Colonel Linton Graham, military attache in London to the Maldives, as part of the special Commonwealth team providing assistance to countries in South Asia and
Africa that were affected by the December 26 tsunami.
One is confident that the average Jamaican supports and commends the Government position in this kind and humane gesture at a time when lives and livelihoods are shattered, even though there are other dissenting views and
opinions coming through that the Government cannot afford to donate $15 million and should not have done so at this time as the country is already suffering and cannot afford it.
The $15 million contribution may be a drop in the bucket, but what is more important is that we did something. Our nation must and has to, indeed, face up to the reality of the global world we live in and we must be seen to be a key player on the international scene.
We should endeavour to contribute to the global world we live in.
In recent months, when we were hit by Hurricane Ivan, we appealed to the international community and the international community did respond. It is only in recent days, since the tsunami disaster, that appeal towards the 'Ivan' disaster subsided as emphasis is now on the Indian region.
There is a spiritual principle that is in the Bible about seed time and harvest time, in other words, what you sow is what you reap. Nothing really prevents the Caribbean region from being hit by a tsunami and we will be instantly crying out for international help, therefore, it is important that we are seen to be doing something and not just lip service.
HEAVY FLOODING
It was reported there in the United Kingdom (U.K.) that heavy flooding in the Carlisle area in Cumbria has left at least three
people dead so far and many homes are flooded, leaving
thousands without electricity. This cannot be compared to the tsunami but, one thing for sure, the U.K. public would not need to worry for assistance from the government or the international community, not because it is a rich nation, but moreso because the U.K. public, not the Government, donated £100 million to the tsunami international relief.
Finally, the Jamaican Govern-ment stood their ground on Haiti and assisted the Haitians during their plight for which they should be commended. Let us now commend the Jamaican Government for their principled stance and action in assisting the victims and nations affected by the tsunami.
I am, etc.,
SYLBOURNE SYDIAL
gensecpnpuk@yahoo.co.uk
General Secretary PNP-UK
& Diaspora Delegate
London
Via Go-Jamaica
