Bottlenecks at Haitian Airport thwart Aid Efforts

US accused to skewered priorities

Travel Insurance News - 21/01/2010

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An altercation over the operating of the main airport in Haiti is delaying Aid Efforts as International troops try to bring the pandemonium under control in the distraught capital Port-au-Prince.

An aid group had complained of skewed priorities and a supply blockage at the US controlled airport.

The Geneva based aid group, Medecins sans Fronters, stated that the biggest problem was the hold up at the airport, citing the example of a flight carrying its own inflatable hospital that was prohibited from landing and then had to be transported in by land from Santo Domingo, roughly 200 miles away in the Dominican Republic.

Other officials from France and Brazil are also up in arms that the airport has declined the permission of supply planes to land, with many complaining the American’s priorities were not in sync. The Americans stand accused of permitting too many US military flights to land, at the expense of aid deliveries.

French co-operation Minister, Alain Joyandet, declared he had objected to Washington about the US Military’s administration of the airport.

In its rejoinder to the allegations, the US military has said it was operating uncompromisingly to hasten the deliveries.

US Aid Chief, Rajiv Shah informed reporters that 130,000 meals were delivered and ready to eat on Saturday, but a bigger provision was required. Some edibles were still commercially obtainable in the city, though prices have inflated beyond what most people can realistically afford.

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