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As
you are aware, the Guyana coastlands have been inundated by
exceptional torrential rains which have flooded Georgetown and
more seriously the East and West Coast of Demerara;
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PNCR
has been and is in the forefront of relief effort. We have been
taking relief to the various Communities around the country. Our
relief centre has set up headquarters at the HBTV Channel 9 in
Georgetown and we have been distributing hot meals, dry rations,
clothing, providing water, rescue of shut-ins and sick persons
and proving moral support and leadership at the community level;
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The
Leader of the PNCR, Cde Robert Corbin has been in the forefront
of the relief effort and in spurring the government to take
action when it has been dilatory and indecisive in the face of
the crisis;
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The
Leader has been in the field leading his team assessing the
situation and spearheading the relief efforts;
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The
PNCR relief efforts have been facilitated by the generosity and
goodwill of several persons and organizations who have been
contributing to this effort in cash and kind. We have also been
greatly assisted by a large number of enthusiastic and dedicated
volunteers from within and without the party;
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The
PNC Reform has offered full support to government in this time
and placed its organisation and personnel to the National
Effort. We will continue to do so. Several persons were named to
serve on the five task forces to help but apart from the Health
task force there has been little use of experts and resource
persons from the community or leaders provided by the PNCR;
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The
Government was first reluctant to acknowledge that there was a
crisis, refused initial international offers of aid, allocated a
miserly G$20M. and refused to set up a proper professional
Disaster Management Task force as advised by the Opposition
Leader;
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Mr.
Corbin had advised at the first meeting with the President that
that such a task force should involve all key agencies, private
sector, NGOs and Competent and skilled Guyanese who could
contribute to the crisis. Regrettably, most of these
persons are not involved in the National effort and have had to
either beg their way in or initiate relief activities on their
own;
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The
result is that there is political control from State House of
the disaster effort with consequential discrimination in the
dispensing of aid to affected communities. There is also lack of
co-ordination and many communities are experiencing severe
difficulty in getting access to the resources being rationed by
the state;
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A
Joint Operation Committee (JOC) was eventually established, to
with, an Army Colonel in Charge but despite the fact they have
the special capability to respond to the needs of this crisis,
they are unable to function properly as they have to await
directives from the PPP/C political directorate before taking
urgent action;
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The
PNCR will continue its efforts to bring relief to suffering
people who need their help. All Guyanese are asked to support
the work of the NGOs in
Guyana rather than contribute to any state fund which is being
politically managed. The PNCR has its own relief fund and we are
asking for support to carry out our efforts. We can be contacted
at our crisis management centre 592-226-1980,
592-624-7370, 592-624-6764 or 592-642-0532 or through
our email addresses pnc_reform@hotmail.com,
peoples_national_congress@yahoo.com,
rhoc50@yahoo.com or rhoc50@hotmail.com
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We
urge overseas groups to keep their members informed as to what
is happening at home. We will be issuing regular bulletins to
update you on developments. It is important that our overseas
groups initiate fund raising activities and other support for
the flood relief efforts of the Party in Guyana. We will advise
you later of our special PNCR flood relief account.