Volunteers’ Haiti trip cancelled

Volunteers from Cayman who had been
set to take part in a rebuilding project in Haiti have cancelled their trip
because of the deadly cholera outbreak on the earthquake-struck nation.

Team Cayman for Haiti, a group of
Butterfield Bank staff that has been raising funds through community events
over the last three months, said they were disappointed that the Build It Week
with The Haven Organisation, scheduled for the first week of November, has been
cancelled.

The team has sent the $17,200 it
raised to The Haven Organisation to support its year-round projects, which
include re-building efforts, earthquake emergency relief, water sanitation,
hygiene efforts and the fight to get the cholera outbreak under control.

“Team [Cayman for] Haiti, both
travelling volunteers and non-travelling volunteers, have been inspirational to
all of us in their unwavering efforts to raise the funding for Build It Week in
Haiti,” said Butterfield Bank managing director Conor O’Dea.

“Their personal time commitment,
creativity, endurance, organisational skills and spirit ensured that they
exceeded their original goal. None of this would have been possible without the
great community support and the backing of their Butterfield colleagues and
friends. The risks were too great in travelling into Haiti with the cholera
outbreak still spreading, none of us would like them to be exposed and so Haven
has made a very difficult decision but, in my opinion, the right one,” Mr.
O’Dea said.

The team’s latest fundraiser was a
free concert event, Rocktoberfest, held at Grand Harbour on Saturday, 23
October.

According to the World Health
Organisation, as of 27 October, more than 300 people have died as a result of
the outbreak and close to 5,000 had been infected. Most of the reported cases
and deaths have come from Saint Marc in the Artibonite region, although recent
three cases have been found in Mont Blanc, 300 metres from the Build it Week
site in Gonaives, bringing the total number of people with the infection in
Gonaives to seven.

Along with the five travelling
members of Team Cayman for Haiti, 300 volunteers were due to depart Ireland for
Haiti on Saturday morning, 30 October, as part of the second Build it Week
scheduled for the first week of November. This comes after Haven was forced to
cancel its first Build it Week this month, grounding an initial group of 300
volunteers in Ireland since Saturday, 23 October.

Haven employs Haitians throughout
the year to ensure that the relief efforts move forward and Team Cayman for
Haiti’s donation will go toward paying those workers and buying materials.

“It’s disappointing to not actually
be able to go over and participate in constructing the houses but we know that
our efforts will still produce a positive outcome for the people in need over
there,” said Kathryn Walsh, Team Cayman for Haiti member.

Ms Walsh thanked all the supporters
in Cayman that had helped Team Cayman for Haiti. “The local community pulled
together and made our fundraising efforts hugely successful and we are forever
grateful to them. Their support will change the lives of many and made a
significant impact on the fallen nation.”

“Build It Week is only a small portion
of the larger Haven initiative and we are proud that we were able to play a
part in the effort to support the various initiatives the Haven Organisation is
involved and we are content in knowing that we are still making a difference,”
said Tom Elliot, another volunteer.

Haven founder Leslie Buckley said:
“This is an emotional day for me and all of the Haven team. It is with great
disappointment that we have been forced to cancel our second “Build it Week”
this month.

“With three cases of cholera confirmed
in Mont Blanc this week alone, we cannot put the health and safety of any of
our volunteers at risk, and we must focus our efforts on responding to the
current crisis and preventing the further spread of the infection.”

The organisation has been carrying
out hygiene promotion sessions and distributing hygiene kits in Gonaives and
the surrounding community in an effort to halt the spread of the infection.

According to a press release from
the group, Haven is using a hygiene promotion team from Port au Prince that is
experienced in communicating precautions against cholera and what can be done
when symptoms present.  They are trying
to ensure that all beneficiaries continue to have clean and treated water and
are working with the United Nations to provide assistance where required as
part of the emergency response.

“Despite all of the work that we
have been doing in an effort to halt the spread of this infection in Gonaives,
these recent cases show just how precarious conditions are in Haiti and the
level of work NGOs are facing in the country,” Mr Buckley said. “This is a
devastating situation for the people of Haiti and for our volunteers who were
so looking forward to their building mission.”

He added: “I must
take this opportunity to thank our volunteers for their support. The reaction
of this group of 600 people has been incredible; I must commend all of our volunteers
on their gracious appreciation for the conditions that we are facing.”