JAMAICA’S Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) says it is too early to put a monetary estimate on the level of assistance that the country will be providing to Haiti in the wake of Hurricane Matthew.

This, as Haiti is yet to give an initial damage assessment report.

The impoverished Caribbean nation was slammed by the devastating Category Four storm between Monday and Tuesday, after sparing Jamaica.

“We don’t know what the value of the damage is. Our assistance now would be based on what the donations are,” Delmaris Whyte, ODPEM’s director of information and training, told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.

White further explained that any discussion on the matter would have to be raised between the Local Government Ministry and the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

She also said that it was too soon to quantify the level of participation from the private sector.

Meanwhile, she noted that outside of the ‘Helping Haiti’ initiative proposed by Local Government Minister Desmond McKenzie, it is expected that the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) will send a request, in short order, through the foreign affairs ministry, to the OPM, requesting that the ODPEM be appointed the sub-regional focal response coordinator for relief efforts to Haiti.

She noted that discussions were held yesterday with Ronald Jackson, executive director of CDEMA, on the matter.

“Once he (Prime Minister Holness) gives permission, based on discussions, the national response team and the other agencies will be activated,” she explained.

On donations, White said Jackson has proposed that cash assistance is preferable. “When you have items, you have to package it, store it, ship it, so it takes a lot more coordination and it delays the process; that’s the point he (Jackson) is making,” she stated, but noted that donations of bottled water, tarpaulin, and non-perishable foods are needed as well.

“The suggestion is that cash is better, and if they want to give the donation they can do it to our NCB account at 212367304,” she said, noting that items have to be taken to the ODPEM’s Haining Road offices in Kingston.

White explained that, when the ODPEM is designated as the regional focal point, a rapid needs assessment will be carried out, with the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) sending in its Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to help with on-the-ground coordination to “size-up” the situation in Haiti.

She noted that while Jamaica has partnerships with Cuba for the sharing of disaster risk information, there is no similar collaboration with Haiti at this time.

In the meantime, five US military aircraft, landed at the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston for refuelling, en route to Haiti.

The vessels included, two Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters, one Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, one heavy-lift Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopter, and one Lockheed C-130 Hercules military transport airplane.

Rear Admiral Cedric Pringle, commander for Joint Task Force Matthew, said his team is moving quickly to ease the suffering in Haiti.

He said the US is receiving help from France and the Netherlands with the relief effort.

Meanwhile, Eric Khant, chargé d’affaires at the US Embassy in Kingston, praised the Jamaican Government for facilitating their request to use the airport.

— Additional reporting by Racquel Porter