UN chief on aid flows to Haiti

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has vowed to work to keep donor funds flowing for Haiti’s recovery and reconstruction. He made the promise in the Haitian capital, Port au Prince on Sunday, during his second brief visit to Haiti following the devastating January earthquake.

The UN chief held talks with Haitian President Rene Preval and leaders of the international relief operation.

Ban said the UN’s revised emergency appeal for $1.4 billion this year to fund continuing humanitarian assistance and reconstruction in Haiti was only 49% funded so far.

He said he assured President Peval and his ministers that he would continue “my best personal efforts to fulfil the remainder”.

Salary reduction denounced

A 10% salary reduction for public servants announced by the Governor has angered leading politicians in the Turks and Caicos Islands already upset over direct rule imposed by Britain. Governor Gordon Wetherall’s office has defended the reduction by pointing out that 65% of current government income was being consumed by public sector wages.

However former premier Galmo Williams blames the Governor and his team for “stalling the economy of the TCI and reducing government revenue by some $40 million annually”.

Black fathers urged to
be more involved

British MP David Lammy wants black fathers to become more involved with their children to help tackle social problems among young people.

The higher education minister who is himself black, is of the view that these fathers must take more responsibility.

He made reference to figures that suggest that 59% of black Caribbean and 44% of black African children in Britain grow up in single-parent families.