NORTH CYPRUS RESCUE TEAMS STOOD DOWN FROM HAITI ROLE
It has emerged that North Cyprus-based volunteers ready to fly to help Haiti earthquake victims were told to stand down at the last minute.
This is despite teams from Turkey and South Cyprus flying to the disaster zone.
Terry Carter , head of the North Cyprus Civil Emergency Service Volunteers (CESV), says a 12-strong rescue team he assembled immediately after the January 12 disaster was told not to go.
Mr. Carter said “as soon as news came in of what had happened in Haiti I assembled a 12 strong teams of CESV members, who are all trained in first-aid and search and rescue techniques.
We were packed and ready to go until being stood down. It was felt our priority should be to defend against any emergency in the north Cyprus and the wider eastern Mediterranean region “The rationale was that if the team was in Haiti it would leave the north Cyprus short of qualified people to assist in any more local major emergency. “In fact. The very next day after the Haiti earthquake an earthquake measuring 6.1 occurred in wastern Turkey but luckily it was in a rural area and there were no casualties.
“The floods in Guzelyurt also occurred in that week and we were deployed to assist there.but recalled while on our way because the municipality army and local civil defence unit were coping with the situation.
“It was a disappointment to be stood down for Haiti although I accept the logic of the decision not to send us.
A US-born Ozankoy woman who used to work with the United Nations in Haiti. And believes she lost between20 and 25 friend and former colleagues in the earthquake . said she was angry at not being able to help.
Judith Davis 65 who has completed several first-aid courses including one run by mrcarter to offer my services i was told the group of volunteers had been stood down by the north Cyprus civil defence HQ.
“i was incensed . My best friend Ann Barnes from Essex in England was among 20 – to -25 friends and formen colleagues who were killed when the UN building collapsed.
“I was desperate to do something to help and it was obvious others thought the same way because they were also volunteering togo .
“It would have been wonderful to see a north Cyprus team joining those from other countries in Haiti . twelve more trained people could have made a big difference to saving lives especially as i could have guided them to various buildings districts and villages which i knew well from my days with the UN between 2004 and 2007”
A six-member delegation from the South-besed “volunteer Doctors Cyprus” set off this week to provide medical care near Port-au-Prince where more than 200.000 people have lost their lives following the earthquake.
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