Paraguayan military to help reconstruct quake-ravaged Haiti

ASUNCION, Paraguay (CMC):

President Fernando Lugo yesterday exhorted a military contingent to put the name of Paraguay high for a year as they depart to Haiti work in the reconstruction of the earthquake-ravaged country.

The contingent includes five superior officials, 15 subordinate officers and 80 sub-officers who will work in Haiti in the construction of highways, houses and drilling wells, as part of the United Nations mission in that country.

Lugo said the ceremony was quite exciting, with a great significance not only for the Armed Forces of Paraguay, but also for the whole nation.

It is the first time that a Paraguayan Armed Forces mission goes to a Caribbean nation to work, and the members of the mission were trained at the Center of Training for Peace Operations for three years.

Lugo said Paraguay has a lot to be grateful for to the international community, and now, it is time for Paraguay to give something back in return.

The members of the Paraguayan mission are supplied with trucks, vans, tractors and excavating machines.

Haiti suffered a devastating earthquake on January 12, with a loss of thousands of lives and millions of dollars lost in its infrastructure.

The country is still suffering the consequences, added to an active hurricane season and an outbreak of cholera that has killed more than 2,000 people.

One month after the quake Paraguay created a permanent commission to evaluate the needs in Haiti and assist in four specific areas: public health, public works, agriculture and sanitation.