(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana) Residents of an isolated community on the outskirts of the town of Leogane, Haiti, on Thursday were overjoyed at receiving medical attention and supplies of food from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) contingent.

Led by the Jamaican Defence Force (JDF), the contingent carried out a medical outreach exercise in their neighbourhood as part of an on-going daily programme that began forty days ago.

The town of Leogane and its environs were earmarked by Haitian authorities for CARICOM’s health intervention following the 12 January earthquake.

The community which was targeted on Thursday was identified by the Mayor of Leogane and is about five miles from the town. Some 90 percent of Leogane itself has been devastated by the earthquake. Many persons made homeless by the earthquake have sought refuge on the outskirts of the town, fearful of the continuing tremors.

The persons in the area were alerted in advance to the arrival of the CARICOM contingent and 1500 tickets were distributed as part of a very organised and orderly distribution of food and the provision of primary health care.

Each person with a ticket was given a 10-lb sachet of rice, a bag containing canned foodstuff and three half-litre bottles of water. The items were part of relief supplies provided by CARICOM Member States. Men, women and children of all ages took advantage of the medical services and supplies provided

The reward for those providing the services? The heartwarming smiles of the men, women and children who benefitted form the exercise. The soldiers expressed their pleasure at being a part of such humanitarian activities.

CONTACT: piu@caricom.org