MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
UK's response to Hurricane Irma has been “found waiting”; several Caribbean islands devastated
Britain's response to Hurricane Irma has been “found wanting”, the heads of two parliamentary committees have said. Many of those affected in the UK's overseas territories in the Caribbean are still in “grave need”, Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat and Labour MP Stephen Twigg said.The UK has stepped up its relief effort, with three RAF aid flights sent to the area. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesStupid whining by some idiots and a gormless press. UK had a sizeable vessel, supplies, landing craft and a helicopter and manpower there in the region just away from the storm and she deployed in less than 24hrs to the first hit Islands. You then do not fly large jets into damaged airport runways until they are checked out and cleared etc.
Sep 10th, 2017 - 11:16 am - Link - Report abuse -1As soon as possible after the aircraft have started to arrive and extra supplies and extra helicopters and personnel into the area- it does take a day or two in reality! And they have to plan looking over shoulder at the next one coning along sop they are not caught there then with planes and ships stuck.
Natural than the folks living there who are indeed devastated need the aid within hours and can get frustrated. But for dumb outside politicians and press to cticise when they have no idea of logistics and facts - just typically stupid.
What gets me is the few million the UK is using there for relief from our £12 billion foreign aid budget, didn't we give a Chinese football league more than that a few months ago?
Sep 10th, 2017 - 04:03 pm - Link - Report abuse +1Most of our foreign aid is either wasted, given to richer countries (like China, India and Argentina) or ends up in corrupt pockets around the world.
These Caribean tax havens are of no interest to the City other than if their use as money laundering centres for the rich and underworld.
Sep 10th, 2017 - 06:31 pm - Link - Report abuse +1Come on Mercopress...change the title to “Found Wanting”....
Sep 10th, 2017 - 07:18 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I realise the UK is responsible for Defence...but Defence against hurricanes...?
Don't these tax havens have enough of their own funds...?
Use your own taxes instead of UK taxes...seeing as you don't pay any into the coffers...
From www.gov.uk:
Sep 10th, 2017 - 08:22 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“The UK stands ready to protect the Territories from external threats, ensuring their self-determination... The UK also supports the Territories to protect themselves from international terrorism, organised crime and natural disasters.”
So yes, the UK is also responsible for disaster relief. I would hope the money comes from the international aid budget, which they were going to spend anyway. It's a drop in the ocean for the UK, but a lot of money for these small territories, even if they are tax havens. They have no army to deploy and the whole island was affected.
The question is why is this piece appearing in Mercopenguin, a British government propaganda organ supposedly devoted to America, South America and the “South Atlantic”?
Sep 11th, 2017 - 04:32 am - Link - Report abuse 0Sassy,Skippy, Cloon ( Clown ) Heppy If you don't like it don't read it and send the same commenton it. You really are a clown.
Sep 11th, 2017 - 08:50 am - Link - Report abuse 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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