In reverse chrono order:
- An email from yesterday
- BBC report of September 2nd on Cuban conference repeating offer of aid.
- copy of email on how Cuba handles hurricane evacuations.
1. ?Yesterday
CUBA REITERATES HIS OFFER OF SENDING MEDICAL CARE
We have received calls and the following directly from Cuba, who want to assist their sister cities in New Orleans, Mobile, among others. The U.S. Government is not reporting this opportunity: the Cubans have been ready and able since Tuesday. They can arrive within hours, at NO EXPENSE to the U.S.! They are close, awaiting for permission to
enter, and trained to working such international rescue situations, and are ready to treat all the people they encounter for exposure and trauma. By refusing the Cubans offer, the Bush administration is deliberately sacrificing the lives of U.S. citizens!
U.S.-Cuba Sister Cities Association
2. September 2nd
09/03/05
BBC
CASTRO REPEATS OFFER OF AID TO USA, CRITICIZES US RESPONSE
At 2203 gmt on 2 September, Cuban Cubavision carried a special roundtable on "the tragic situation in the United States in the wake of Hurricane Katrina," from its studios in Havana.
Moderator Randy Alonso Falcon introduced the Roundtable and welcomed the participants: Commander in Chief Fidel Castro and journalists Reinaldo Taladrid, Arleen Rodriguez and Lazaro Barredo. Alonso also welcomed Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque, who was in the audience.
Castro began by stating that it was necessary to improvise this Roundtable because of the events in the United States after Hurricane Katrina. He then began reading statements by US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack yesterday accepting aid offers from foreign countries to help with the damage caused by Katrina.
Castro stated that the Cuban Government learned about those statements later at night, when the National Assembly of the People's Government sessions concluded. He added that he had to clarify Cuba's position. He read a brief chronology on Cuba's aid offers to the US.
He stated that after reports on the scale of the damage caused by Katrina on 29 August, he called Perez Roque and instructed him, on 30 August, to relay condolences through the US Interests Section (Usint)in Havana. He commented that he had previously conversed with many farmers and authorities from the US and from the state of Louisiana. He recalled Governor Kathleen Blanco's visit several months ago.
Castro stated that Cuba had previously offered its vast experience in dealing with hurricanes and it was the first country to respond and offer condolences after the 9/11 events. He then stated that a Foreign Relations official met the second chief of the Usint at around 1200 [local time] on 30 August, where she expressed Cuba's desire to put aside the current state of diplomatic relations before offering aid and condolences.
Castro recalled the path of Katrina and commented on how it affected Cuba as it passed close to the island. Castro then read the message sent to the Usint expressing condolences and offering the necessary doctors and medical personnel; including three tent hospitals with the necessary equipment and personnel. He stressed that Cuba did not desire that this offer be made public so that it did not seem like an act of public relations.
Castro related how the chief of the Cuban Interests Section in Washington, Dagoberto Rodriguez, also met with US officials to reiterate Cuba's offer. He stated that McCormack's press conference came three days later.
Later, Castro continued reading the Cuban condolence note. He stressed that Cuba's message came with all the respect and sincerity that Cuba was known for. He stated that any aid from Cuba would arrive much faster than the aid from other countries far away.
Castro stated that Cuba was not mentioned in McCormack's list of countries offering aid, and it felt offended that it had been ignored in such way. He added that the omission might have been unintentional because of Cuba's desire that it not be made public and commented that there were no hard feelings because of that. He commented on the high cost of sending a plane with field hospitals, medicine and personnel.
Castro stated that Cuba wanted to reiterate its willingness to cooperate with the American people and began reading the statements on Cuba's position. He read that Cuba was willing to send via air 100 health specialists in the early morning hours tonight to help in areas of New Orleans where medical attention was needed. He added that each doctor would take a backpack with 24 milligrams of medication and the diagnostic equipment required for such emergencies. He read that the specialists could be divided into groups of two and would stay there as long as they were needed. He continued reading that Cuba would be willing to send another 500 specialists tomorrow afternoon, and then a third group of 500 specialists with the same equipment on Sunday. He stated that this would represent 26.4 tonnes of medications and the personnel necessary to provide medical attention.
Castro recalled other strong hurricanes that had hit Cuba. He continued reading that medical personnel had extensive international experience and basic language skills. Castro went on to read an Efe press agency report on the lack of medical care in New Orleans at the moment.
Castro praised the services of Cuban health volunteers throughout the world; he then continued reading a press agency report on the current situation in New Orleans. Castro criticized the rejection of Cuban aid and stated that experts had even said that a worse hurricane could hit again before this hurricane season is over.
Castro stressed that at times like this it was not right to be thinking about politics. He stated that Cuba was only offering the aid for the benefit of the American people who were suffering right now. He praised the thousands of doctors and health specialists graduating in Cuba. Castro commented on how governments should forget about differences and cooperate in times of need.
Castro commented on the medical equipment that Cuba had available in case the US needed it. He excused himself for taking up so much time and stated that he did not have much else to say. Castro affirmed that he hoped something good came out of this horrific tragedy.
Source: Cubavision TV, Havana, in Spanish 2203 gmt 2 Sep 05
3. I also got copied on this email about how Cuba has handled hurricanes.
Thursday, September 1.
I just spoke to NV, a walking encyclopedia of knowledge about cuba, and asked him how civil defense is conducted in cuba. he ticked it off while i listened with my left hand and typed with my right. here are the notes i took:
* *
less than 2 months ago, cuba was able to move 1.7 people on short notice.
the whole civil defense is embedded in the community to begin with. people know ahead of time where they are to go.
they come to your door and knock, and tell you, evacuation is coming, then they come and tell you, now.
if no electricity, they have runners who communicate from a headquarters to central locations what is to be done.
the country's leaders go on TV and take charge. but not only the leaders are speaking. the TV weatherpeople are knowledgeable. and the population is well educated about hurricanes.
they not only evacuate. it's arranged beforehand where they will go, who has family where. not only pickup is organized, delivery of people is
organized.
merely sticking them in a stadium is unthinkable. shelters all have medical personnel, from the neighborhood. they have family doctors in cuba (!), who evacuate together with the neighborhood, and already know who, for example, needs insulin.
if they evacuate to a countryside high school -- a last resort -- they have dormitories there.
they also have veterinarians and they evacuate animals. they begin evacuating immediately, and also evacuate TV sets and refrigerators, so that
people aren't relucatant to leave because people might steal their stuff.
it's not throwing money at the problem. it's not financial capital, it's social capital. the u.s. in this sense has zero social capital.
dealing with hurricanes in cuba, as compared with how it's done in the u.s., is similar to the differences in how they deal with medicine. it's not reactive; it's proactive. they act as early as possible. the u.s. doesn't have civil defense, it has civil *reaction.