Constituents stuck in the hurricane zone

I have only heard of two constituents who are said to be alive and unharmed but stuck on a holiday island that has been wrecked by the hurricane. When I got the message yesterday I contacted the Foreign Office website and hotline. They told me of the immediate plans to send in supplies and personnel to the UK related islands, and to work with the French and Dutch who will do the same for the islands under their protection. They had no plans to help get people home yet. They urged my constituents to contact the local government on the island concerned, which in this case is not a UK related island, for further guidance.

I want the UK government to help the private sector and the governments of the islands to plan for the safe passage home of all those UK tourists, business people and others who want to get back after their harrowing time with the disaster. I have therefore written to both the Minister of State in charge, Sir Alan Duncan, and to the Foreign Secretary urging them to consider this and make more advice and help available as soon as possible. I appreciate airports and seaports have in many cases been damaged and the weather still presents hazards to shipping and planes, but those stuck would like to know someone is planning to recreate some transport links that can work soon.

UPDATE

I am glad to report my two constituents have got off their holiday island on a US military flight and are hoping to fly back on normal flights from USA. I am still pursuing the issue for others.

5 Comments

  1. Oggy
    September 10, 2017

    We all hope your constituents get home safely.
    But these natural disasters bring our attention back to Foreign Aid and what many of us here have stated many times, – that, the Foreign Aid budget should be cut severely and a disaster fund put in it’s place. No one would object to tax payers money being sent to help ‘our’ people on the British Overseas Territories in their time of need.
    BUT we do object to tax payers money ending up in corrupt foreign officials pockets and being seen to be generally squandered.

    1. Norman
      September 10, 2017

      Yes, but this reservation said, it must be counterbalanced in terms of our continued role as a beneficent power in a needy world. All within reason and properly balanced, of course – it is this aspect that appears to be lacking.

    2. Chris
      September 10, 2017

      Absolutely, Oggy.

  2. Norman
    September 10, 2017

    Yes, but this reservation said, it must be counterbalanced in terms of our continued role as a beneficent power in a needy world. All within reason and properly balanced, of course – it is this aspect that appears to be lacking.

  3. Not Corbyn
    September 10, 2017

    Corbyn was nastily too quick off the mark in criticism of our government’s response. Hurricanic weather is an annual event in those parts. He wishes more of our sailors “pre-positioned”. More of them in the direct path of a killer sea giant! Does he wish our ships withdrawn from his previous grandstanding location in the Med? Corbyn changes his position with today’s wind like a tinny weathercock.

    Reply Yes, we also need to consider the safety of our ships so they are useful after the hurricane has passed.

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