Minister forced to defend UK relief AGAIN
DEFENCE Secretary Michael Fallon yesterday hit back against repeated accusations that the British Government has been too slow to deliver aid to its overseas territories.
Britain’s rescue effort in the fallout from Hurricane Irma has been criticised as ‘absolutely pathetic’, with claims that other countries acted much more quickly and effectively in bringing disaster relief to the region.
The UK has been unfavourably compared to the French and Dutch governments, which had troops on the ground in the Caribbean on Wednesday, the first major day of the fallout from the hurricane. It was not until the weekend that 500 British soldiers were in
place to help with the relief effort and try to deter looters, and they were bolstered by 50 police officers last night.
The Government has a responsibility to 88,000 people living in Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, the Turks and Caicos – all British overseas territories in Hurricane Irma’s path.
Yesterday, Sir Michael told BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show: ‘There has been a security issue there and that’s why we’re now prioritising getting armed troops in and police coming in behind them to strengthen the local police force.
‘The island has been devastated, it’s been difficult for people to move around until you get helicopters there, but there are troops now there assisting the governor to ensure law and order is maintained.’
On Friday the Government was lambasted by Dorothea Hodge, a former UK and EU representative for the government of Anguilla, who hit out at the International Development Secretary Priti Patel.
‘It is absolutely disgraceful that it has taken the whole day for Priti Patel to respond to the worst hurricane we have seen in a British territory since the 1920s,’ she said.
‘Anguillians are all British nationals, as British as the Falklands or Gibraltar. In comparison to the French president, who has set up an emergency fund, an emergency hotline and a reconstruction fund, her response after the storm has passed is absolutely pathetic.’
However, Sir Michael yesterday pointed to RFS Mounts Bay, the 16,000-ton aid ship equipped with marines and a helicopter, which was stationed in the Caribbean for the hurricane season.
‘Mounts Bay was not there by chance,’ he said. ‘We positioned our ship there to help. She’s already been helping on the islands, and as soon as we were clear which airfields could be used we got our flights in. We have troops helping at the moment.’
He defence secretary added that the French have military garrisons in their Caribbean overseas territories so already have troops in position. ‘Our response has been as good as anybody else’s,’ he said. ‘And indeed, I can tell you the French have asked now for our assistance in helping to lift troops and material to some of their islands.’
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also commented on the UK response to the disaster last night. Returning from the latest of a series of emergency Cobra meetings, he said: ‘This is just the beginning. A terrible thing has happened to British overseas territories. These are British people and we are here for the long term and we will come through with a recovery plan working with our partners in the region.
‘We will come through with a recovery plan for those islands and make sure they get back on their feet again.’