Support for the victims of last week’s massive earthquake in Haiti will also come from the cash-strapped Latvian government, the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Jan. 18.
During a special meeting, the government’s Cabinet of Ministers approved a EUR 15,000 donation to an emergency fund organized by the United Nations to aid Haiti. European Union members are expected to donate up to EUR 92 million, the ministry announced in a press release.
The Jan. 12 earthquake, registering 7.3 on the Richter scale, struck the capital of Port-au-Prince and other communities in Haiti’s west. Tens of thousands of people are believed to have died in the earthquake.
Ziedot.lv, an online charity coordination service based in Rīga, announced Jan. 14 that donations also can be sent through the Latvian Red Cross.
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The paltry sum that the Latvia has approved for Haiti is embarassing. How much has Latvia received from the world community and foreign governments since independence was restored in 1991? Millions for sure. Now, when others are in dire need, Latvia essentially turns its back. Surely more funds can be found.
If more funds can be found, they should not be used for publicity. There is a dire need to help our own, and above all, our forgoten legionaires.
The whole world is helping those suffering in Haiti, but when Stalin was starving and murdering, nobody cared. It is wonderful that even Latvia is offering help, but why consider the sum as “paltry” when we look at the contributions of Saudi Arabia, Cuba or Venezuela? Latvians did not even get “paltry” support agains the oppression of the soviets.
Ivars – you have a great point. Another question — what are the Latvian Americans and Latvians around the world doing for Haiti? Have their been fundraisers? Donations made?