IT IS perhaps typical of human nature that we often become so preoccupied with our own problems that we either overlook or, worse, exhibit no caring interest for those whose afflictions are greater. It's an attitude that cuts across race, class and nationality, neighbourhoods and territorial boundaries.

RICKY SINGH

Not surprisingly, therefore, the people of Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean Community's most wealthy partner state - were calculating their additional cost of living from having to pay TT$1: (US17 cents) more for a litre of premium gasoline, while other citizens of our region continue to agonise over the horrendous consequences from hurricanes and tropical storms within a one-month period that have been particularly cruel to Haiti and Cuba.

The Turks and Caicos Islands, Jamaica, Dominican Republic and The Bahamas have all been affected, to varying degrees, (TCI and Jamaica more severely than others).

But the combination of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike and Tropical Storms Fay and Hanna have left a nightmare of death and destruction, huge dislocation of people, and billions of dollars in losses, both to Haiti - already the poorest nation in this hemisphere - and Cuba, whose economy remains strangled by a very inhumane United States economic embargo.

It is, therefore, quite disappointing that in the face of all the enormous losses and pain inflicted by natural disasters on the people of Haiti and Cuba, there are political and social organisations in a few Caricom states that seek to exploit local domestic considerations by criticising relief aid being rushed to those two battered Caribbean nations, instead of responding to needs of claimed "neglected communities" at home.

In contrast to such negatives, Jamaica's quick responses to the disasters from hurricanes suffered by Cuba, Haiti and the Turks and Caicos Islands, were quite inspirational.

The Bruce Golding administration was despatching emergency relief aid and sending technical personnel while still calculating the heavy losses that have since been placed at approximately US$206 million (JAM$ 15 billion) and a death toll of thirteen.

At the same time, in the southern Caribbean, the Trinidad and Tobago administration of Patrick Manning lost no time in releasing approximately US$4.02 million (TT$26 million) in cash assistance to Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica, while coping with the effects of flood waters at home from tropical storms.

Caricom Secretary General Edwin Carrington and Assistant Secretary General ambassador Colin Granderson have provided a briefing to the Community's foreign ministers on their first-hand assessment of the immense suffering of the Haitian people following a visit last week to Haiti.

The briefing took place at United Nations headquarters in New York, where the Community's Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) also held on Thursday (Sept 25) a regular annual informal session with the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice.

This annual caucus is a tradition that has developed from former President Bill Clinton's visit to Barbados for the first-ever Caricom/USA Summit in May 1997, for which he was accompanied by the US first female Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright.

The meeting normally coincides with the start of a new session of the UN General Assembly and serves to clarify misunderstandings, resolve outstanding issues and the pursuit of improved relations.

CUBA AND HAITI

In accordance with Caricom's commitment to seek international assistance for Caribbean countries seriously affected by natural disasters, the foreign ministers were expected to ascertain from Secretary of State Rice, US responses to countries in this region hit by the recent hurricanes and tropical storms.

However, given Caricom's awareness of official hostile US policy towards Cuba, it is doubtful that any attempt would have been made to raise with Rice Cuba's own post-hurricane needs for humanitarian aid and economic rehabilitation.

Moreso, since the Cuban Government of President Raul Castro has already rejected what it deemed a contemptuous initial response of some US$100,000, through non-government organisations, and an offer to send a team to undertake an assessment of destruction and level of assistance.

Cuba's dignity is not to be toyed with, declared its foreign ministry, by the George Bush administration's effort to propagandise "humanitarian concerns" with a token aid offer to that Caribbean nation, which is said to have suffered its worst devastation from hurricanes and tropical storms, totalling losses of approximately US$4 billion.

According to the Cuban foreign ministry, Cuba's estimated loss in foreign exchange in any one year - as a direct consequence of the US trade, economic and financial embargo - has been placed at approximately US$224.03 Billion (at current market prices) since its imposition 46 years ago.

Cuba, which has been receiving post-hurricane aid from Venezuela, Russia and China, has declared that "the only correct and ethical action for the United States to take would be to end its ruthless and cruel economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed on our motherland for almost half a century..."

The lives of over three million Cubans, almost a quarter of the population, have been seriously disrupted by the hurricanes. And agencies of the United Nations and the Red Cross are feverishly involved in mobilising international responses for urgent humanitarian assistance to Haiti and Cuba while assessments are otherwise being made of the greater challenge to secure, urgently, economic reconstruction aid to all Caribbean countries seriously affected by this season's hurricanes and tropical storms.

In Haiti, at least one million people have been dislocated by the hurricanes and tropical storms and are in dire need of emergency relief, including food, water and medicine. The death toll has been placed at about 800 and at least one million homeless.

The UN special envoy to Haiti, Hedi Annabi, has stated that the Haitian authorities were clearly overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster facing the nation.

"This humanitarian catastrophe requires an exceptional effort from bilateral donors, countries from the region and beyond", he stressed, noting that in some flooded areas, such as in Gonaives, "there is not a single house that has not been destroyed or damaged..."

Against this background of immense human suffering, it is a pity - a shame really, that in a few Caricom jurisdictions, local opposition forces have sought to criticise official aid to Cuba in particular when, as they claim, domestic communities' needs were being neglected.

Rushing to help one's neighbour at a time of urgent need, even at personal sacrifice, is a quality that could enrich our humanity.

Caricom governments, parliamentary opposition, private sector and civil society organisations in general are, therefore, expected to be involved in coordinated responses to the current dire humanitarian needs in Haiti and Cuba.

In the case of Cuba, its reputation is legendary for quick responses with practical forms of assistance to nations, far and near, at times of natural disasters.

Venezuela, under Hugo Chavez's leadership, has also become noted for its readiness to reach out with a helping hand and not only at times of crisis. By the end of 2007, it was outstripping the USA in total social and economic aid to Latin America and the Caribbean, with pledged funds totalling approximately US$9 billion.

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