Dear Editor,

The unprecedented devastation left by Hurricane Dorian on Marsh Islands, Abaco, and Freeport in The Bahamas is comparable only to the pathetic preparedness to prevent the loss of lives and a total inability to rescue tens of thousands of men, women, elderly, and children, who are stranded and exposed to a harsh tropical environment without shelter, food, water, sanitation and the stench of decomposing bodies.

The official response of an apparently disorganised Government, and of the United States, its closest and most powerful ally in the region, has been characteristically slow, as we saw with Katrina and Puerto Rico, where private and military vessels, moored a hundred miles away from ground, have not been mobilised while victims suffered and died.

Most of those stranded and at risk of losing their lives can be transported to Cuba less than 1.5 hours away for temporary and long-term lodging, which I am sure the United Nations, Caricom, OUA, European Union, and charities would be willing to foot.

Turned into martyrs, no politician in The Bahamas, Florida, and neighbouring countries are willing to anger US President Donald Trump, Marco Rubio, John Bolton, or Mike Pompeo with such a proposal, knowing they care only to asphyxiate and stifle Cuba to death.

Alberto N Jones

Palm Coast, Florida, USA

cacf2@aol.com