Gareth Davis, Gleaner Writer
PORT ANTONIO:
MORE THAN 200 Haitians at the Winnifred Rest Home Shelter in Fairy Hill, Portland, are to benefit from a donation of clothing and recreational items, which will be sent by Eye of Jamaica, a Florida-based non-profit organisation.
The items to be handed out to the Haitians include boxer briefs and shorts, shirts and pants for children and adults, along with soccer balls, dominoes and board games valued at more than US$8,000. The distribution is expected to take place on Friday.
Chairman of the overseas- based non-profit organisation Ronald Thomas, told The Gleaner yesterday that only the refugees at the Winnifred Rest Home Shelter would benefit from the donation this time. He, however, pointed out that the other Haitian population at Montpelier in St. James would benefit from the next distribution which is due in July.
NO TOILETRIES AT THIS TIME
"We were unable to access any toiletries at this time," he said, "but that will be added to the next distribution. We have already spent more than US$8,000 to purchase the item and this will be a monthly contribution as long as the Haitians remain in Jamaica."
Mr. Thomas noted that the handing over of the item will be witnessed by Paul Saunders, national coordinator for the Refugees Management Unit in the Ministry of National Security, and that it is the way in which transparency and accountability can be realised.
The non-profit organisation is in the process of setting up a subsidiary through the Office of the Registrar of Companies locally, and already a national coordinator has been appointed to oversee all of its distribution.
