In Corozal, it’s not much different. That town has far more resources at hand than a village, but with a larger population, it also has greater needs. And today Mayor Hilberto Campos told us that finding NEMO in all this is proving more difficult than finding the proverbial needle in a haystack.
Hilberto Campos, Corozal Town Mayor
“Nobody has gotten assistance yet in the sense of reconstruction. I have been walking the affected areas, I’ve been distributing water, some food. I have been asking the entire country to help. I’ve been getting response from the people but I have ordered zinc and construction material that I will be getting until Saturday. I have to comment on NEMO that I was in a meeting yesterday and the word was that Corozalenos have to stay in their destroyed houses, sit and wait for an assessment team to come, after the assessment they will be instructed as to when they are going to get the help, and to my discretion, the reconstruction should have been on its way a long time ago.”
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
So you’re saying NEMO’s response has been inadequate.
Hilberto Campos,
“It has been very delayed, so to speak, if it ever comes. As far as I am concerned, sleeping under no roof for two to three days is too much.”
Teresita Hernandez,
“I have all of those kids, I have a lot of grandkids. I have twelve kids plus grandkids so a lot of people live here and well the breeze just came
and blew off the house top and I had to run to manage to get somewhere to say so we went to a little small house and there is where we managed to stay and passed. When we came the whole housetop was gone, all my things, all my chairs and everything were broken up. I have nothing in my house.”
Jules Vasquez,
What is your need? Obviously you need construction material but how are you doing with food and water?
Teresita Hernandez,
“We don’t have that either. Well I had just gotten a gallon of water.”
Jules Vasquez,
You are living in here?
Alejandro McFarlane, House Collapsed
“Yes I am living in here right now. I have nowhere else to go.”
Jules Vasquez,
Have you achieved any assistance?
Alejandro McFarlane,
“Nobody has assisted me.”
Jules Vasquez,
What kind of assistance do you need?
Alejandro McFarlane,
“Well I would want some food and I
would want my house fixed back and like that, a little assistance.”
Jules Vasquez,
What is your family’s needs right now?
Catherine Phillips, Roof Caved In
“Just maybe a mattress and couple zinc and plywood.”
Jules Vasquez,
Has anybody been responding, has anybody been surveying you to see what you need?
Catherine Phillips,
“Well only unu up until now. Only Unu up to now, nobody else.”
Alba Hernandez, Mother of 3
“We weren’t here, we had gone to a shelter but when we came back, we saw this place in a mess and like how I stayed right here, this is our house but when we saw up there in a thing, the place filled with water and you don’t even have anywhere to sleep where you can put a mattress on the ground, nothing and nobody isn’t supplying us with nothing. No jobs, well in this kind of thing you can’t even get a job so that is what went on. When we came it was just a mess and the whole of Corozal is just messed up.”
Jules Vasquez,
So have you gotten any assistance from NEMO, from anyone?
Alba Hernandez,
“Nobody, that is what I am trying to tell you, nobody; nobody.”
Jules Vasquez,
What is your family’s greatest need right now?
Alba Hernandez,
“What I need, I mostly need like some rations and make them fix up the place.”
Hilberto Campos,
“I was instructed by NEMO to in my office receive people and tell them to go and wait in your house and an assessment team will come to you and they will take an assessment and then they
will tell you when you’re going to get the assistance.”
Jules Vasquez,
Too much bureaucracy?
Hilberto Campos,
“Exactly, It is unacceptable on my behalf.”
Jules Vasquez,
So the government has declared Corozal District a disaster area.
Hilberto Campos,
“But the response doesn’t match up to what they have declared it. I don’t know if they are underestimating the disaster or what is the cause. I don’t want to comment on politics. I am commenting on what the people are saying.”
