Phillipines

[Norman Verona]

With 4 days notice and 4 days after, I can't believe we can't organise a drop of tents, water and food to those thousands of people in real distress.

 

I'd like to bet if it was to kill people the Americans would have been there within hours.

 

And why do we need to be asked for money as if the assistance is dependent on it.

 

Isn't it about time all the "rich" countries donated into a UN fund so mercy missions can be organised immediately. 

 

JFDI springs to mind.

[alexander72]

Norman, 

 

Ive been in touch with the DEC today, and UNICEF and the UN offering myself, and a team of chainsaw operators to fly to Phillipines tomorrow to cut the trees off the roads that are blocking the access routes from nearly all cities.

 

I have offered a month of our time.

 

No thanks was the answer. 

 

Its a desperate situation.

[XTR2Turbo]

With 4 days notice and 4 days after, I can't believe we can't organise a drop of tents, water and food to those thousands of people in real distress.

 

I'd like to bet if it was to kill people the Americans would have been there within hours.

 

And why do we need to be asked for money as if the assistance is dependent on it.

 

Isn't it about time all the "rich" countries donated into a UN fund so mercy missions can be organised immediately. 

 

JFDI springs to mind.

We probably could but sadly it's often a lot more involved than that. Very often the delay is the local government itself not quickly allowing foreign aid access and wanting in place the appropriate permits and access and their own military or government staff in control of operations.

 

Remember the Russian submarine that suffered an explosion and Russia took ages before allowing US and British experts access by which time too late.

 

America doesn't have a great record though of looking after their own after disasters. Look at New Orleans.

[Captain Colonial]

I think you may be a little cut off in France.  There's been quite a bit about aid from the UK contributing on the BBC just this morning, as well as other countries contributing on RT, Al Jazera and other foreign news channels.

 

You also need to understand the bad weather didn't just stop after it hit the Phillipines, it went on for a few more days in the region, affecting ships and aircraft.

 

As for the bit about Americans getting anywhere in a few hours to kill people - let's just wash over that and agree to disagree.

 

Just because we see the news doesn't mean we get all the news.

[Norman Verona]

Scott, I watch the BBC news channel as well as all the other BBC stations. They have all reported that no aid has arrived because the runways are damaged or too short.

 

That's why I suggested dropping the stuff by parachute.

 

Of course it's not easy, but people are going to die if aid doesn't arrive soon. Of course that's on top of the 10,000 reported dead already.

 

Scott, maybe we can discuss America's war record over lunch next year.

[bhouse]

With 4 days notice and 4 days after, I can't believe we can't organise a drop of tents, water and food to those thousands of people in real distress.

What are the oil reserves like in the Philippines?

That could have some bearing on the reason.

[jeff oakley]

Well top marks to James for the offer he made, but it does not surprise me that your offer was turned down. I have heard this several times where people have offered and been told no, as people die, the aid agencies do not work together as there is too many seperate agendas. Instead of arguing they should just make things happen.

 

I don't think the area is important in the world stage for power etc so there will be a certain amount of heel dragging from some. But lets be honest, the Americans were woeful with the New Orleans effort and that was just down the road in comparisson.

 

Sometimes we fail to understand how badly organised we are as a world when this sort of thing happens and as for Norman saying fund the UN upfront, there are many countries who have still not given what they promised from the Tsunami effort.

 

 

[alexander72]

I think its a very simple equation - the news says all day that trees are in the way, i'm good at moving trees out of the way and am willing to go and move tree's - why say no? 

[Nick Algar - Competition Secretary]

I share the concern, it seems to be taking an age. I thought the phillipines was a big USA base during vietnam time, so surprised more resources were not already there. I guess all the local boats / ships were damaged. Lets hope something gets sorted soon.

[Norman Verona]

I can see why James's offer was refused. Top marks to him to make the offer but the army can easily do the job with 100's of men. The first need is for tents, water and food. All of which could be dropped by parachute to the area's in need. The talk of airports being unusable and roads blocked are nonsense, of course they are but that's for the second wave of the rescue operation.

 

The UK has warehouses full of this type of stuff in the middle east, it could be dropped by parachute within 12 hours if there was a will.

 

I'm watching the BBC news now. It's so depressing and just makes me angry.

[bhouse]

Meanwhile someone's spent 90 million pounds on a Bacon triptych. Our priorities are very skewed.

[SootySport]

It's odd the News crews from all over the world got there the next day.

There is a problem in that 10million people have been affected, so that's must be a huge area to supply and the roads are not that good over there.   I would of thought some helicopters would be the easiest way to deliver food & water. 

 

 

Norman it's  Philippines no Phillipines.   One L and 2 P's.

[Norman Verona]

Sorry, I'll brush up on my spilling.

 

The Philippines are made up of over 1500 islands which will make it even harder.

 

Whatever, it would be nice to see someone actually doing something.

 

Did you see the school teacher begging us for help and breaking down in tears. I wish I was 20 years younger and could do something. 

[alexander72]

Norm, I am 20 years younger and could have been there by now and clearing roadways which I believe is still a huge part of the problem.  

 

The issue, as i heard from an arborist from singapore is that many of the trees there are from the Fig family - not the namby pamby figs we get in green houses or south facing patios here but massive 200 tonne plus trees with 18foot stems.  When these blow over some of the root system remains attached and even 20 tonne loading shovels won't move them.  

 

I have cleared these in other parts of the tropics and we cut them into 5 tonne blocks (sections of side branch and stem) for heavy machines to then move to side of road.

 

Windthrown tree's can be very troublesome as well and are often known as widow makers.

 

Its a sad situation indeed. 

[s2rrr]

I think the offer of a months tree clearance help was superb well attempted, pity about the refusal.  Slightly offtrack and for XTRturbo the Russian submarine was the Kursk and we  have the actual beams used to drag it out at work at the moment. They are pretty big beasties and were used for a bit of a heavy lift. Back again, its a similar issue to the fact that large planes can't land as the strip is too short, logistics need to be sorted but agree medicine, food and water drops or whatever wouldn't go amiss to start off with.

 

Bob