Government to Match African Famine Appeal
The Bermuda Government today [Aug.18] announced that it will join and support the Bermuda Red Cross in its Horn of Africa Famine Appeal by matching community donations up to a maximum of $50,000.
Millions of people are facing a hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa, as the worst drought in the region for sixty years withers crops and kills livestock. The United Nations officially declared the crisis to be a famine, the first time they have used the term since almost a million Ethiopians starved to death in 1984.
Government is encouraging members of the community to donate cash to help the Bermuda Red Cross in the appeal that will see much needed food, water and health care provided to communities in regions of Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia that have been ravaged by drought and conflict.
Premier Paula Cox said that the Government of Bermuda was delighted to learn that the Bermuda Red Cross had launched an appeal to provide assistance for the famine stricken countries in East Africa.
“We are saddened by the extent of suffering by men, women and children in these African countries and we can only imagine the devastation and helplessness that they are feeling as they struggle to stay alive.” said the Premier.
“I encourage everyone in Bermuda to give what they can and we offer our African brothers and sisters our sincerest prayers and a commitment of tangible support to assist as they try and rebuild their lives and homes.”
The public may donate into the Bermuda Red Cross account #20-006-060-365472-200 that has been set up at the Bank of N.T. Butterfield, or call the Bermuda Red Cross at 236-8253 with debit/credit card details.
First of all you need to get rid of our economy crisis as well before you decide to help others. As a bermudian we are suffering as well and government in debt so they say.. but yet i see MP’s with brand new expensive cars i just dont get it
Yeah I am all for helping people…but lets help the Bermudians first…the ones who are jobless…the ones who could barely afford to live in Bermuda because of the high cost of groceries, rent…just general everyday living.
Has gov’t got a secret stash of money they haven’t told us about ? They’re paying day to day expenses with borrowed cash as it is .
I suppose they do need all the posotive international PR they can get .
I don’t see anybody in Bermuda dying from hunger…I say help
Much as I utterly despise the PLP, it’s hard to disagree with this.
I think everyone has stretched their declining salary to the limits and when the Red Cross goes about putting an ad in the paper the need must be great. I see the coverage of these people on the news and I feel bad for them. I would hate to be starving to death with no food or water as we all would let alone watching my children die in the same way! Aid is still being sent from the US and other countries but its not reaching them due to criminals interceeding and stealing it before it gets to those who desperately in need. Many of us would like to help but our salarys are stretched to the limit and we are having a hard time helping ourselves survive let alone another country. Countries like Sudan and other 3rd world countries should be taught some kind of industry so they can help themselves survive. Kinda like earth quaked Haiti. All that aid that was sent and they are no futher ahead to rebuiling or getting back to work or surviving on their own then when the aid first arrived. I am sure with all the rubble left behind surely the people could get together and hand carry some of the debris to a dumping place and start to rebuild their country. Living in a tent city and not protected from bad weather and future hurricane/earthquakes leaves them in a situation that could easily be destroyed again and doesnt encourage them to try and put their country back into some form of normalcy. They too will be a country asking for more support as the years toil on. We must if nothing else teach these countries how to survive by teaching them how to catch water, clean up after a disaster, grow crops and build dwellings and to basically make a living for themselves. With all the countries trying to find a solution to their loss of jobs, with their economies failing, and massive debts many can no longer give money they just dont have. I dont know what the answer is but if you can afford to give then go ahead but many of us just cant anymore.
Some of these posts took the words right out of my mouth.
I will say one thing and that is I give when I can. When I can’t I take care of my own, first.
It would be great that Government will match up too $50,000 in these trying times but remember that we are in the red and not the black. Just alone, with the existing population of workers we could probabley secure at $2.00 donations $100,000.
Then again, Government can’t even help it’s own. Sad but true.
A great day to all.
Damn! Women, men, children, even babies are dying (slowly) due to the lack of water and food in these countries. It’s heartbreaking to watch on TV. Some of these comments are totally selfish.
Some people are not selfish…a lot of people just simply can’t afford to help anyone else. If you are able to donate then go along. By your comment I hope you will donate to this worthy cause.
@ Life is a gift …I have to disagree…some people cannot afford to donate…they may want to but can’t..Bermuda needs to take care of their own first..while the concept may be great there are a lot of people here at home that are in need..whilst they may not be dying of starvation many are missing meals and doing without (no lights, water or gas) ..We can help, but help at home first….
“Life is a gift”, possibly comming to a neighbourhood near you. And don’t think it can’t happen here. It did there because of wanten greed, power.
Look at the (g)overnments of these countries. They do have them and then get back to me.
“Terry” I stand behind my statement. I am not here to debate with you why these countries find themselves in the state that they do, however INNOCENT people are dying and need all of the help that they can get and to suggest that we need to do more in Bermuda before we can help externally, is in my opion just plain selfish.
Some of these comments are sick! Bermuda suffering = not being able to take that cruise this year..or that trip to NYC for shopping, or putting off purchasing that car for a year. Oh how selfish we’ve become when we complain that our Government will find money to send to thousands of starving people.. *Shaking my head in shame*
THIS IS NUCKING FUTS!!! firstly i must say that i do my best everyday to give what i can where i can when i can and right now i can’t. let it be MY decision as a tax paying citizen as to how much i want to give out of my hard-earned money. how can they possibly make such a unilateral decision when there are people here who can’t even afford to buy groceries because gov’t has willed it that their jobs be lost. last time i checked there are some africans who have plenty of money to give back to their own (lest not forget the many that have duped us in online scams). i have to agree with @Down de toilet on this one…seriously. when i did my missionary work we taught those people how to fend for themselves and gave them enough to get them started. all they had to do was keep it going. all fingers point back to the greedy governments. i’m pretty sure a title is all you need to let others know that you’re the leader.
We can never stop giving help where help is needed as human beings…..our condition may be bad …or terrible in some cases….but it is our …humanity ….our humane…spirit that separates us from other animals……Heaven help us if we ever lose that spirit ….then we will experience what real hell is like……and they are two opposing conditions on this earth while we live ..and in the afterlife…!Maybe some of us do not believe in any of these terminologies…..but for those of us that do……lets just keep on giving…..it wo’nt hurt..and I believe that it will help…even if it just helps our own human souls.!
If you do your research you will find out that what is going on in Africa is economic and food warfare. Guess who’s behind it all. The same agencies and Countries askimg for donations, not for the starving people but to pay the agents who you see an bbc and cnn. Its called population control. Wake up NWO is here not coming.
Spice, your doing too much of it. If there was oil, gold, silver that certain countries had ties too, or could fight a war and make billions a month……never mind…you know this right?
A contractor makes millions a DAY on a war.
Get back when you know what your talking about.
Hooooowwwwwww????????????? Didn’t we just cut the budget on educating OUR OWN CHILDREN?????? How we going to help another country of people and we are losing our own????????????????
Terry, your correct on that point. I apologize, I only gave half of the facts. And watch when the UN and US start occupying Somalia.
This is why i smh at my own country. How can we be so selfish and inconsiderate??? It amazes me how some can sit there and complain over $50,000 that can actually SAVE A LIFE of INNOCENT people…children, pregnant women, the elderly, men…because you as a Bermudian cannot afford what???? To keep our lights, cell phones, internet on…or to afford a proper (luxury) meal that includes a meat, starch and vegetables, to be able to afford new clothes each season? Or is the need to get off the bus and be able to buy a private vehicle. At the end of the day…you still get to live you selfish prick!!!! I cant stand to see and hear our people complain about feeding starving people. Who in Bermuda is starving? NO ONE!!! Some might go hungry but NO ONE is starving here!!!
One last thought…do you honestly think that $50,000 can solve any problem we have at this moment? We will need way more than that to help us out of this rot we find ourselves in today. Check yourself Bermuda cause you are starting to stink!! Selfish and spoiled ROTTEN!!!!
@ Unbelievable: and do you think that $50,000 is going to solve any other countries problems???I THINK NOT! They will mos def need way more than $50,000 to help them in the rot their in.
I agree with some, IF you have the funds to help those in need than give. BUT to you others… don’t knock someone else if they are ALREADY trying to get by and trying to ‘make a dollar out of fifteen cents.’
IF those of you that have sufficient coinage to help the fundage of the ‘African Famine Appeal’than “simply” put in a little extra for those of us that would like to contribute but can not “simply” afford it…
Feel the LOVE
It may not solve the countries problem but it will help feed starving people which is the sole reason the government is sending $50,000. Do you know how many people can be fed with $50,000? But in our country with the problems we face, $50,000 will not go far at all.