| Date | 24 October 1996 |
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Hurricane in the Bahamas and Cuba
The President
Before turning to the items on our agenda for this afternoon, I wish, on behalf of all the members of the Assembly, to extend our deepest sympathy to the Governments and peoples of the Bahamas and Cuba for the extensive material damage that has resulted from the recent hurricane. I also wish to express the hope that the international community will show its solidarity and respond promptly and generously to any request for help.
I now call on the representative of the Bahamas.
Mr. Turnquest (Bahamas)
On behalf of the Government and people of the Bahamas, I wish to thank you most sincerely, Mr. President, for your kind words of sympathy and solidarity concerning the damage and destruction suffered by the Bahamas due to the recent passage of hurricane Lily. This category two hurricane damaged homes and destroyed crops in five islands in the central part of our archipelago. High tides and heavy rains were responsible for significant flooding. As a result, there was some concern about water contamination. The electricity supply in the affected areas was knocked out. The Government of the Bahamas and relevant national agencies are doing all in their power to cope with the situation while the full extent of the damage is still being assessed.
I am pleased to be able to inform the Assembly that the Government of the Bahamas has, to date, been able to cope with the situation on its own. We are grateful that the intensity and duration of the hurricane were not great, and that it did not pass over the main centres of population. Again, I thank the Assembly for its expression of sympathy and support. At the same time, my delegation extends its condolences and sympathy to our sister country, Cuba, which suffered even greater damages than the Bahamas.
The President
I now call on the representative of Cuba.
Mr. Rodríguez Parrilla (Cuba)
At the outset, Mr. President, I wish to thank you deeply for your words, and express the gratitude of our Government and people to you, to the General Assembly and to this Organization, which embodies and represents values that are the essence of humanity. During difficult moments and circumstances they fill our people with hope and confidence for the future of humankind. I also wish to convey our warm feelings of solidarity to our sister people in the Bahamas.
Cuba has indeed suffered considerable economic losses, and has contacted the agencies of the United Nations system, whose initial responses to our request for emergency humanitarian assistance have been admirable. We are certain that they will be translated into prompt and concrete assistance to provide food, medicine and building materials to alleviate the consequences of the hurricane for Cuban families. I also wish to express my gratitude for the many offers of assistance from Governments, non-governmental organizations and individuals, whose selflessness and altruism have touched us, and whose offers we have gratefully accepted.
Thanks to the human solidarity of the Cuban people, to the efforts of our Government and to our belief that we should not abandon the helpless but guarantee fundamental services for all, we have not had to regret any loss of life. In the wake of the hurricane no injured person failed to receive medical care, no child was without a school to go to, and no people were without a roof over their heads, despite the fact that 5,640 dwellings have been destroyed and 78,855 have been partially damaged. In addition to the devastating damage to the economy, an enormous effort was undertaken to evacuate 392,732 people, which was essential in order to avoid fatalities.
Reconstruction is pressing rapidly ahead despite the serious lack of resources. Despite everything, the economy this year has shown clear indications of recovery, which is now enabling us to tackle the damage on a better footing. Despite the hurricane, the sugar and tourist industries will continue to grow; however, the food programme, among others, will require enormous efforts on our part.
We express our warm thanks to the United Nations and the General Assembly; to the agencies of the United Nations system; indeed, to all those who are offering assistance.
Adversity always makes human beings humble, and helps them better to understand that man is vulnerable, that our resources are limited, that we live together in a small planet, and that there is much that we can and must learn and do. Faced with adversity, the only way forward is hope.
We warmly thank you all for nurturing the infinite hopes of the Cuban people by standing at our side.
