A cargo of humanitarian aid, including a fleet of Land Rover four-wheel-drive vehicles, is unloaded from RFA Largs Bay at Port-au-Prince under the watchful eyes of the Royal Logistic Corps' 17 Port and Maritime Regiment
[Picture: Leading Airman (Photographer) Pete Smith, Crown Copyright/MOD 2010]
The relief package provided by the Department for International Development and British and international NGOs (non-governmental organisations) includes goods purchased with donations from the British public in response to the Disasters Emergency Committee appeal.
Her Majesty's Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Steven Fisher, was at Port-au-Prince in Haiti on Friday to see the cargo arrive on shore:
"One month on there are still very, very important humanitarian needs in this city, particularly the need for shelter and sanitation," he said. "But I am pleased to say that the aid is getting through, and British aid, which you can see behind me, is actually helping to meet those needs."
The Ambassador explained how the UK is supporting the ongoing relief effort:
"The UK Government has given a large amount of money to organisations such as the Red Cross, such as Save the Children, such as Merlin - which has set up a hospital up in Port-au-Prince," he said.
"It's also delivering a large number of vehicles for use by non-governmental organisations. And, I think most importantly of all, at the moment, we are donating a large amount of shelter materials which will enable some 2,000 families to have hurricane-proof shelter which will help them get through the next few months."
He said that the humanitarian aid donated by the UK is a very welcome and worthwhile contribution:
"To date, £70m of aid which has been contributed by the British people has been transformed into aid that's being delivered on the ground.
"For example, as part of the cargo of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Largs Bay, which arrived in Haiti yesterday, that ship was able to bring a large number of vehicles which will be used by charities and aid organisations on the ground.
"Those vehicles were paid for by the British people's generosity. That's not the only contribution that the British people's money is making, but that's a very practical contribution that they are making, and I think we all should be very proud of our people."
RFA Largs Bay, a 16,000-tonne Bay Class Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary), is deployed in support of the Department for International Development as the UK's contribution to the humanitarian aid relief effort currently giving support to the people of Haiti in the wake of January's devastating earthquakes.
RFA Largs Bay will remain in Haiti to be tasked as necessary by the UN and the World Food Programme to assist in the distribution of aid across the island.
To follow the progress of RFA Largs Bay's involvement in the ongoing relief effort on Haiti, visit the ship's daily blog - see Related Links.