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| Boris Johnson arrives in Anguilla after 'absolutely hellish' Hurricane Irma | Boris Johnson arrives in Anguilla after 'absolutely hellish' Hurricane Irma |
| (4 months later) | |
| Foreign secretary hails ‘biggest operation since Libya’ and pledges long-term help, but island’s chief minister says financial aid offered is not enough | |
| Press Association in Anguilla | |
| Wed 13 Sep 2017 05.49 BST | |
| First published on Wed 13 Sep 2017 05.24 BST | |
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| Britain’s foreign secretary Boris Johnson has praised the response of the community in Anguilla after landing on the island to witness first-hand the devastation unleashed by Hurricane Irma. | Britain’s foreign secretary Boris Johnson has praised the response of the community in Anguilla after landing on the island to witness first-hand the devastation unleashed by Hurricane Irma. |
| Ahead of touching down at the island’s airport on board the Royal Air Force’s Airbus A400M Altas, carrying aid supplies and the latest deployment of Royal Marine troops, he surveyed the damage from the window of the cockpit. | Ahead of touching down at the island’s airport on board the Royal Air Force’s Airbus A400M Altas, carrying aid supplies and the latest deployment of Royal Marine troops, he surveyed the damage from the window of the cockpit. |
| On Wednesday morning, Johnson will be venturing out into the community to see some of the most hard-hit places of Anguilla, before heading to the British Virgin Islands, another British overseas territory that was badly damaged by the storm. | On Wednesday morning, Johnson will be venturing out into the community to see some of the most hard-hit places of Anguilla, before heading to the British Virgin Islands, another British overseas territory that was badly damaged by the storm. |
| There has been criticism of the speed of the UK response. But the Anguillan chief minister, Victor Banks, said the visit by Johnson “sends a very positive signals to Anguillians that the British are serious about their response to this very severe hurricane”. | There has been criticism of the speed of the UK response. But the Anguillan chief minister, Victor Banks, said the visit by Johnson “sends a very positive signals to Anguillians that the British are serious about their response to this very severe hurricane”. |
| Banks said the British government “responded within hours of the passage of the storm”, adding of Johnson: “He called me personally immediately after the storm passed – it ended at three o’clock and by five o’clock he had called. By midday the next day, the Royal Navy was here with a ship.” | Banks said the British government “responded within hours of the passage of the storm”, adding of Johnson: “He called me personally immediately after the storm passed – it ended at three o’clock and by five o’clock he had called. By midday the next day, the Royal Navy was here with a ship.” |
| But Banks said what is being offered by the British government financially “is not enough”. | But Banks said what is being offered by the British government financially “is not enough”. |
| Addressing those gathered at the home of Anguilla governor Tim Foy on Tuesday, Johnson admitted he “hadn’t seen much of the island yet”, but that what he had seen was “very surprising”. | Addressing those gathered at the home of Anguilla governor Tim Foy on Tuesday, Johnson admitted he “hadn’t seen much of the island yet”, but that what he had seen was “very surprising”. |
| “I had been told it was going to be a scene of devastation from the air and I have to say that I looked down as we flew in and I saw an incredible amount of tidying up had already happened,” he said. | “I had been told it was going to be a scene of devastation from the air and I have to say that I looked down as we flew in and I saw an incredible amount of tidying up had already happened,” he said. |
| “But talking to you all, it is clear this place has been through an absolutely hellish experience, and it is [in] no doubt at all that you need help with power generation, with getting the hospital back up and running, getting the airport back up and running, and schools properly set – all kinds of things need to be done.” | “But talking to you all, it is clear this place has been through an absolutely hellish experience, and it is [in] no doubt at all that you need help with power generation, with getting the hospital back up and running, getting the airport back up and running, and schools properly set – all kinds of things need to be done.” |
| Johnson said he was visiting to “show the commitment of the United Kingdom to this country”, adding: “We are here to help.” | Johnson said he was visiting to “show the commitment of the United Kingdom to this country”, adding: “We are here to help.” |
| Highlighting the presence of the Royal Marines on the island, he said “it is the biggest operation our armed forces have conducted since Libya”, calling it a “huge effort that is going on now”. | Highlighting the presence of the Royal Marines on the island, he said “it is the biggest operation our armed forces have conducted since Libya”, calling it a “huge effort that is going on now”. |
| “But the achievement in getting this place back on its feet belongs to the Anguillan people,” Johnson added. | “But the achievement in getting this place back on its feet belongs to the Anguillan people,” Johnson added. |
| “It seems to me you are doing a fantastic job. Keep it up: this place will be back up on its feet before very long and I want you to know that the UK is going to be with you not just in [the] short term, but in the long term as well.” | “It seems to me you are doing a fantastic job. Keep it up: this place will be back up on its feet before very long and I want you to know that the UK is going to be with you not just in [the] short term, but in the long term as well.” |
| Hundreds of UK troops and 50 police officers have already been sent to British overseas territories in the region, after they were battered by the most powerful storm ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. | Hundreds of UK troops and 50 police officers have already been sent to British overseas territories in the region, after they were battered by the most powerful storm ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. |
| Johnson said there were now 1,000 troops deployed, with this figure set to increase to 1,250 in the coming days. | Johnson said there were now 1,000 troops deployed, with this figure set to increase to 1,250 in the coming days. |
| Recovery and aid efforts are under way to help those trying to piece together their lives from the ruins of the hurricane. | Recovery and aid efforts are under way to help those trying to piece together their lives from the ruins of the hurricane. |
| With £32m committed to help the affected overseas territories, and a pledge to match donations to the Red Cross appeal, Johnson said the prime minister would be making a further announcement on Wednesday. | With £32m committed to help the affected overseas territories, and a pledge to match donations to the Red Cross appeal, Johnson said the prime minister would be making a further announcement on Wednesday. |
| Anguilla’s chief minister said the £32m was “a lot of money”, but that the total bill for addressing the damage and repairs in Anguilla alone could reach $1bn. | Anguilla’s chief minister said the £32m was “a lot of money”, but that the total bill for addressing the damage and repairs in Anguilla alone could reach $1bn. |
| “We have not started to count the homes that have lost roofs, windows, vegetation and landscaping – all of the schools have been damaged,” Banks said. “Our port is all right, but the terminal buildings have been destroyed. Blowing Point ferry terminal will need to be rebuilt … 85% of all visitors come in through there, it is critical. | “We have not started to count the homes that have lost roofs, windows, vegetation and landscaping – all of the schools have been damaged,” Banks said. “Our port is all right, but the terminal buildings have been destroyed. Blowing Point ferry terminal will need to be rebuilt … 85% of all visitors come in through there, it is critical. |
| “I am talking about real capital infrastructure development by the British government. At the end of the day, the £10m-15m which is going to come to us is not going to be sufficient.” | “I am talking about real capital infrastructure development by the British government. At the end of the day, the £10m-15m which is going to come to us is not going to be sufficient.” |
| On Monday, Kate Osamor, Labour’s shadow development secretary, urged Johnson or Theresa May to visit survivors on the islands, “look them in the eye and put their concerns at the centre of [the] government’s response plan”. | On Monday, Kate Osamor, Labour’s shadow development secretary, urged Johnson or Theresa May to visit survivors on the islands, “look them in the eye and put their concerns at the centre of [the] government’s response plan”. |
| Johnson’s visit follows a trip by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, to St Martin, the Franco-Dutch island that neighbours Anguilla to the south. Britons stranded in the Caribbean have contrasted the French government preparations and quick response to Irma with the way the UK government has tackled the aid effort. | Johnson’s visit follows a trip by the French president, Emmanuel Macron, to St Martin, the Franco-Dutch island that neighbours Anguilla to the south. Britons stranded in the Caribbean have contrasted the French government preparations and quick response to Irma with the way the UK government has tackled the aid effort. |
| Hurricane Irma | |
| British Virgin Islands | |
| Hurricanes | |
| Boris Johnson | |
| news | |
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