Honor Haiti Earthquake Anniversary

Senate Resolution No. 2393 BY: Senator CARLUCCI MEMORIALIZING the 10th Anniversary of the Haiti Earthquake, January 12, 2010 WHEREAS, This Legislative Body recognizes the epic devastation caused by the Haiti Earthquake, and the far-reaching loss of life and damage that was sustained by the victims of this tragedy; and WHEREAS, On January 12, 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti, on the island of Hispaniola, near Leogane, 16 miles west of the capital, Port-Au-Prince; and WHEREAS, In its aftermath, it was estimated that 250,000 people died, about 300,000 were injured, and five million were initially displaced as a result of the devastation; and WHEREAS, Furthermore, nearly 4,000 schools were damaged or destroyed, and, at the time of the earthquake, 70 percent of the population lived below the poverty line; and WHEREAS, A cholera outbreak struck Haiti in the wake of reconstruction and humanitarian efforts, contributing to thousands of deaths as well as countless more being infected; and WHEREAS, Unfortunately, Haiti has not been immune to further natural disasters; in 2012, Hurricane Isaac and Hurricane Sandy caused significant damage and flooding to an already devastated country; more than 400,000 citizens were forced to live under tents and tarps and, in

2016, Hurricane Matthew caused further destruction and displacement; and WHEREAS, While progress has been made in the 10 years since the horrific catastrophe, circumstances of the earthquake continue to plague the country, such as weak political governance, lack of infrastructure, and limited access to basic resources; and WHEREAS, The United States has a population of nearly 1 million citizens of Haitian nationality, with approximately 200,000 Haitians residing in the State of New York; and WHEREAS, The State of New York is greatly enriched by the culture, traditions, and contributions of the many Haitian Americans now living in our great Empire State, many of whom immediately made their way home to search for family members and aid in rescue and relief efforts; and WHEREAS, Under the luminous direction of Renold Julien, Konbit Neg Lakay Inc. is a well-respected Haitian non-profit community organization established in Rockland County, New York; founded in 1987 for the purpose of assisting the county's rising Haitian community as well as raise awareness and appreciation of the Haitian culture and promoting understanding among all communities within the county; and WHEREAS, Esteemed organizations such as Konbit Neg Lakay Inc. shows the commitment this great Empire State has for assisting and rebuilding the Haitian community both home and abroad; and WHEREAS, It is appropriate to pause in order to reflect on this disaster, to profoundly mourn the tragic loss of life and livelihood, and to applaud all those who have offered, and will continue to offer aid and support to Haiti which will be needed, not only today, but for many years to come; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize the 10th Anniversary of the Haiti Earthquake, January 12,