Premier urges support for local Filipino community
(CNS): Following the devastating strike of super Typhoon Haiyan on the Philippines, which scientists think may be one of most powerful storms ever recorded, Premier Alden McLaughlin urged people in Cayman to reach out to those they know in the local Filipino community. “Our hearts and prayers go out to the people of the Philippines as they come to the terrible realization of what will more than likely be increased death toll numbers and the long road ahead to rebuild," McLaughlin said at the weekend after reports that up to 10,000 have been killed.
“As most of you know we have many people from the Philippines who live with us in the Cayman Islands. To them, we also offer our prayers and condolences. We know well the frustration of living through and surviving a major storm; we can only imagine the feeling of helplessness as the Filipinos in our community try to make contact with their loved ones, read about the destruction on social media and receive information they don’t know to be real or rumour.
“If you know of someone in our community who has been affected by this terrible storm, please reach out to them.
“Many Filipinos in the Cayman Islands were here to help Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac rebuild after Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and Hurricane Paloma in 2008. While we can’t be in the Phillipines to help them recover, we can offer human compassion to those here who are hurting because of this destructive typhoon.
“Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers,” he added.
According to news reports, Philippine President Benigno Aquino has declared a state of national calamity to speed relief efforts for victims of Typhoon Haiyan. In a statement, he said the two worst affected provinces, Leyte and Samar, had suffered massive destruction and loss of life. More than nine million people have been affected in the Philippines. Many are now struggling to survive without food, shelter or clean drinking water.
For more information on how to assist those impacted by the devastation visit the World Food Programme’s donation website or the Red Cross.
Category: World News
While i'm pleased that the premier is encouraging us to reach out to the local Philippino community, and to keep them in our thoughts and prayers (all good) that alone is just not enough.
And yes i've already sent money to a philippino friend from Leyte and donated to World Food Program.
I'm very dissapointed and embarrassed that our Government, our Chamber of Commerce, our local Red Cross and our Churches are not offering more help. Not effectively organizing a local means for the Cayman Islands to help.
Surely others here want to help out, and will do so given an organized local official channel.
Let's remember that the people of the Philippines helped (here on the ground) after Hurricane Ivan. They also help to run our islands with much grace, hard work and good manners day in and day out!
The Caymanian Compass also has some very good suggestions in todays paper.
Come on CI Government, local NGO's and local businesses….let's do the right thing and send help to our fellow brothers and sisters in their most dire time of need.
All you have to do is call the Red Cross. It is all,over the news media that they are organizing aid.
We took Hurricane Ivan & it was a 5+. The wind bouy between us & Jamaica clocked winds of over 200 MPH.
What the heck has that got to do with anything? Bragging rights?
What dont you understand about the figures 2300 dead ( thats like the whole of East End 3 times over.) and 11 million affected……yep thats 11 with 6 f'in zero's after it fool. For once Cayman look outside of ourselves, there is a whole world out there other than Miami ……
Let us pray for the people of the Phillipines and give what you can give in this sad time for them.
THE CAYMAN ISLANDS BREWERY (Caybrew) is having a Disaster Relief Fundraiser on Saturday November 23rd starting 6pm at the Brewery. The public is invited to come out and socialize and have fun while raising funds to help those in need. This money will be special directed to the Philippines Red Cross to assist with children left Orphaned and those with Special Needs. Live bands… Music and entertainment as well as tons of sales from Caybrew, Jacques Scott, Tortuga Rum Company, Premiere Wines and Seven Fathoms and Governor's Reserve… Proceeds to benefit are friends in the Philippines!!! Please come and support!!
We took a category 4 hurricane that its eye passed us 20 miles away from land on the south side of the island, and look at the damage it caused us. This was in 2004 – hurricane Ivan. Our homes are in better condition than the homes in the Philippines. So you can imagine what they must be going through to be hit directly by a category 5.
Ivan was no Cat 4. Who measured it, and using what? Rumor has it the equipment at the Weather Station failed.
NOAA using dropsondes. The wind speed records show 150mph at the nearest mesured point of approach, and rnages from 150 to 160mph whilst within 100 miles of Cayman. So either a strong 4 or a margunal 5, but no comparison to the 190-195mph at landfall Haiyan.
It’s not just the sustained or max gust speeds. A big factor is the forward motion. Ivan was moving slowly. The only good that can be said of the Philippines typhoon is that it was rocketing along.
And yes, the Cayman Islands government should make a donation (shouldn’t be hard to take some money from the “unnecessary spending” jar). An official donation of $500,000 to $1,000,000 would dwarf (on a per capita basis) the pitiful pledges made to date by the industrialised nations of the world.
Those measurements from NOAA was at 10 am Sunday morning when Ivan was just off the SW coast. Additionally there were 2 automatic weather stations that supported those numbers.
Point taken but Ivan was cat 5
So many people died over in the Philippines due to that monster of a storm and this is all you can say?
Sheesh
Yes come on Cayman lets show what a real christian community can do. We all know a wonderful filipino person and have experienced the kindness and love of the people of that nation. This is a great opportunity to heal some of the divisions in our community- reach out to your fellow christian tonight in support – lets put our money where our mouth is and help our friends in the phillipenes with what ever we can spare.
We can best help them by treating these local workers with respect, and by paying them a fair wage, for fair hours — which would also do much to place the local worforce (ie Caymanians) on an even keel with these people, who are so often abused on the job.