Dominica Red Cross seeks to rectify “unfounded claims”

Acting Director-General of the Dominica Red Cross (right) Dr. Jaslin Salmon shakes hands with a volunteer Dale Laurent

The Dominica Red Cross (DRC) has said it is seeking to rectify what it described as “unfounded claims” made after the passage of Hurricane Maria, saying it has been providing humanitarian support to those affected.

According to the DRC, there are claims that said the Workshop for the Blind, which is next door to its headquarters, was damaged during the hurricane and it did nothing to help.

The DRC said this is far from the truth.

“Since the onset of the emergency caused by Hurricane Maria, the Dominica Red Cross with the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has been working to provide humanitarian support to those affected,” the DRC said on Thursday.

The organization said it has indeed assisted the Workshop for the Blind with the following:

1. Red Cross shelter officer assisted in placing tarpaulings on the roof of the building.
2. Red Cross provided the staff with relief items.
3. The organization benefited from the Red Cross cash transfer programme.
4. Red Cross collaborated with the Workshop for the Blind in distributing clothing to the needy in the community.

Furthermore, the DRC outlined achievement made during the Relief Phase after Maria:

-680,000 liters of water to 1,498 households
-5,565 households received relief items, including 11,265 tarpaulins, 8,304 blankets, 5,997 mosquito nets,2,940 kitchen sets, 184 food parcels, tool kits, wood, and training and installation support.
-989 households have received pre-paid cash cards of US$450
-1,498 households have received hygiene items including hygiene kits, jerry cans and buckets.

It also said that the Recovery Phase after the hurricane is now over and “we intend to do total or partial repair of 1,000 roofs, benefiting 5,000 persons.”

“With the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) we are in the process of building the capacity of the Dominica Red Cross through the reorganization of Governance and Management Structures, thereby ensuring transparency and accountability,” the DRC said.

Meanwhile, Acting Director General of the DRC said the organization is in the “difficult” process of regaining the public’s trust and is in the process of reorganizing itself.

“Certainly, the Red Cross has a very good name but when the name has been somewhat badly affected, it affects our ability to serve, ability to get support from the public,” he stated.

He noted that the DRC has been going through some difficult times and he was brought in reorganize it.

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23 Comments

  1. Raining again
    February 20, 2018

    Every time we went to red cross for assistance or supplies they told us to come back tomorrow or there was nothing left. These ppl are as bogus as a 2 dollar bill

  2. L power
    February 19, 2018

    Thank God the Dominica Red Cross is being cleaned out. dishonest Hillary!!!!!!!!!

  3. jeff
    February 19, 2018

    I donated to the DRC hoping the money would be used to help all and any Dominicans. We always fear that contributions would go astray,friends giving to friends first and the erst get the scraps. That is the way of man he cant help but dip his fingers in,if he was better we would not be in this mess we are in.

  4. betty
    February 18, 2018

    so is the the same corruption that was carried in layout hotel God is not Police Carbon

  5. langlou
    February 16, 2018

    f the red cross…. its labour party organisation like Roseau city council

  6. See pum Sarti
    February 16, 2018

    Some of those workers volunteer or whatever you call them. All I can say is hmm. It have one particular She think there is her father estate. Only in Dominica. All I will say is hmmmm

  7. Maria
    February 16, 2018

    I thought the Red Cross was the personal property of the lady. So it had to take Maria to drain the swamp?

  8. well well
    February 16, 2018

    HMM!!! To whom did all those supplies go? Not the persons that needed it for sure. So many people that really needed the tarpaulins especially to this day got it from Red Cross. Every time they went to get they would be told to come back tomorrow or it don’t have. Even water Red Cross staff was telling people it didn’t have and 2 minutes after while you sitting in the hot sun outside their building vehicles going in and out full with cases of water and food and their own vehicles, family and friends passing with garbage bags full of things. The number of people they say they gave is what they were supposed to give but never did. They gave people whose roofs were intact to cover their vehicles and generators. Bunch of liars. Saying you gave to all those people doesn’t mean you did. We all know you lying.

  9. My Bad
    February 16, 2018

    Some of them were directly involved in the sale of our passports and all we know is that passports were sold but money was burnt and nothing to show. Also some of the same gang were involved in the development of the Layou hotel and all we know is that monies were received but hotel was not built and it appears that everything got burnt. So if your passport sale was corrupt, your hotel building was corrupt why should we even trust you with red cross? Red cross got burnt too because is Burn we Burning.

    • winston warrington
      February 16, 2018

      It is truly your bad because there is no need to express your opinions on matters outside your acquaintance . The Red Cross is an international organization over which the Government of Dominica has no oversight; furthermore , the Red Cross is the only nongovernmental institution authorized to issue passports and thus does not need to be associated with the Dominica diplomatic passport issue.
      Probably because of your age you might not be aware that the Layou River Ptoject was shut down 20 years ago before the DLP came into office; but this so. And Dominicans did not own the project as you imply
      People who bought into the Passport program initiated by the DFP were made shareholders and the property was acquired from the Eugenia Charles group. You have lost your case at the highest court yet insist on repeating street talk.

      • RandyX
        February 18, 2018

        You state how it should be, i.e. the government has no oversight over the Dominica Red Cross. Of course they have no oversight officially, but you bet that the Dictator is influencing their decision making. This is clearly visible in who got and who got not. Furthermore that woman that at the top is a definite Skerrit supporter the same way her husband is member of the cabal.

  10. Red Ants Bite
    February 16, 2018

    Anything in Dominica that has “RED” in it spells danger whether it is “RED clinic”, “RED cross” “Mon-fa-RED” etc. The color red in Dominica now represents Skerrit and his res corruption so I am not surprised of corrupt practices by the Dominica Red Cross. A look at the local red cross directors says it all. I have been bitten by these red ants and know how they can hurt you to protect skerrit

  11. Goodwill Too
    February 16, 2018

    Dominica Red Cross doing the same thing the USA Red Cross did after Hurricane Katrina.. What good name? the have have’s are the ones getting supplies and whenever it comes down to giving the ones truly in need they get the left overs if at all Waiting on tax payers the world over to contribute so they can big up themselves. What about after ERICA.. You all better zip it, because this is the age of technology!!! People are humiliated after waiting for hours and denied stuff, but TIME ALONE.. TIME ALONE.. TIME ALONE.. Defend all you all want, TRUTH NEEDS NO DEFENSE, WICKED SET OF PEOPLE!!!

  12. Goodwill Too
    February 16, 2018

    -680,000 liters of water to 1,498 households
    -5,565 households received relief items, including 11,265 tarpaulins, 8,304 blankets, 5,997 mosquito nets,2,940 kitchen sets, 184 food parcels, tool kits, wood, and training and installation support.
    -989 households have received pre-paid cash cards of US$450
    -1,498 households have received hygiene items including hygiene kits, jerry cans and buckets.

    ermmm which households exactly. My house is in goodwill and I can say without fear of contradiction, my family repeatedly went to the Red Cross a stone throw away for water, tarpaulin,food supplies and EVERY SINGLE TURN THEY WERE DENIED.. FACT!!! we had no roof, our house was/is one that was severely damaged and to date nothing. I personally called a cel number of of an executive of RED CROSS and the ……. told me they had no supplies, at the same time, there were people without a broken glass driving up and loading their vehicles. I JUST START. SOMEBODY FROM RED CROSS CHALLENGE ME!…

    • Hmmm
      February 16, 2018

      I believe you because the same happened to my family who lives in goodwill, just under the nose of Red Cross. My sister was turned away and a friend was also turned away with this same story and other persons with their vehicles were seen loading up relief supplies. EVEN RED CROSS! SHAME!

    • G
      February 16, 2018

      I was turned away too on several occasions, while I saw ministers and lawyers and police coming from their new base at High Street with tarpaulin.

  13. jungle
    February 16, 2018

    Look at the directorate of the DRC. It is just a part of the DLP web.

    • RandyX
      February 16, 2018

      You are right. In know from people in a village in the northeast that the DRC brought relief items to some villagers but others did not even get a bottle of water. No price for guessing the political affiliation of the people who got. It is so shameful and it makes me so angry.

  14. ouuui
    February 16, 2018

    my aunties and mom never get nothing when you come to red cross for assistance you outside begging when you do get in side after all that sun bleaching by the gate they grilling you and then tell you sorry we not distributing hmmm all these things I hear all you clamming all you had it was for one set or maybe people that just did not deserve it I guess

  15. UKDominican
    February 16, 2018

    If the local Red Cross was managed that well, why:
    – was its local head replaced with an acting director with the specific task to reorganise the charity.
    – what caused its name to be badly affected?
    Those comments and remedial actions would not apply if our local Red Cross had been properly managed and an enquiry is in order Mrs. Pynard-Byrne owes the Dominican public some explanations, even if only to defend herself.

    • Chaben Riviere Layou
      February 16, 2018

      Dominica Red Cross being reorganized? WOW!!! What happened to the wife of Keiron Pinnard Byrne? Why is she no longer at the helm? Mrs Kathryne Pinnard Byrne owes the general public an explanation as to why she is no longer at the helm. why does the Dominica Red Cross need reorganizing following her departure?

      I do not smell any rats… but rats of the same fur stays together? :lol: :lol: :lol: I live near the Layou River so I am looking for answers. :wink: :wink: :wink:

      • NabesandI
        February 18, 2018

        Why you so bamsey? Eh smh You on Red Cross board ner you asking for explanations. Stupes

      • Anonymous
        February 18, 2018

        I always thought Nabes and I was a pseudonym for Parry Bellot. maybe I’ m wrong.

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