I was in contact with government people in the DR immediately after TS Noel and attempted to get 130,000 MREs, 5000 (65 gallon) water storage bladders with a complimenting water treatment delivered to the DR.
My Dominican contacts in the DR met with INAPA (?) multiple Generals, Lieutenants, Colonels in the "emergency preparedness department" as well as people at the Health Department. Four weeks later, millions of DOLLARS (U.S.) as well as millions more $$$ donated from around the world and NO DECESION as to whether or not the government was "interested" in getting these products brought in.....at one point, we were told the people we getting OATMEAL and RICE delivered to the affected areas...yet CLEAN WATER was and IS still an issue..(so how do you cook oatmeal and rice).......last word was they chose to use some donated water purification products and meals (5000 of each) and that was the final choice made.
It's nice to see El Presidente cancel the holiday parties this year (yet not the gift baskets)...Also glad to see he can put his hand out (like the children in the streets) and claim poverty to the rest of the world and then KEEP IT.....most likely to go buy AIRPLANES for supposed drug interdiction....where's the EMERGENCY money? Where's the donated goods? Where's the help for the people who really need it?
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