United States Department of Defense

DOD TO TRANSPORT HUMANITARIAN AID TO GUYANA

The Department of Defense and State Department announced plans to move more than 320,000 pounds of excess DOD medical equipment and supplies to help the people of Guyana. Over the next six weeks arrangements will be made to surface ship the items -- enough to fill eight 40-foot seavans -- from the Defense Logistics Agency Depot, Ogden, Utah, to Georgetown, Guyana.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Humanitarian and Refugee Affairs (HRA) Patricia L. Irvin said the Department, in cooperation with other government agencies and within the limits of its resources, understands and strives to fulfill its responsibility to help alleviate suffering throughout the world. She said the Humanitarian Assistance Program is often the most economical means available to local charitable organizations to transport donated goods to foreign countries for humanitarian purposes.

The 1986 DOD Authorization Act authorizes HRA to transport non-lethal excess property, relief supplies, and privately donated cargo to meet humanitarian needs worldwide. Over the past two years, more than 370 transportation missions have been accomplished to more than 50 countries.