A/42/PV.116 General Assembly

I now call on the representative of Jamaica. Mr. BARNETT (Jamaica): For those of you who have not suffered the aftermath or experienced the onslaught of a hurricane, the devastation and damage that can be caused is well nigh inconceivable. Howling winds, sheets of rain, floods, flying debris, falling trees wreak havoc on communities, and particularly in our case, a small island country, making the people of those commW1ities suffer in or din a tely. It ls therefore with a deep sense of appreciation that we accept your sympathy, Mr. President, and that of the members of the General Assembly at this hour of our tragedy. (Mr. Barnett, Jamaica) Hurricane Gilbert which hit Jamaica on 12 and 13 September 1988 was the worst natural disaster Jamaica suffered in this century. The television pictures members have seen tell only a small part of the story. Our society had jus t begun to rp-cover from long years of eoonomic decline and the eoonomy had been turning around on the path of what we hoped would be sustained growth. Now we have to start all Over again, and Eor a society in a small country such as ours this is even more difficult • The response of the Secretary-General and of the international community was prompt, and we are gra teful for all the help we have rece ived so far and for all the expressions of sympathy that have come with it. Our long-term development and our short-term rehabili ta tion will con tinue to requ ire the support and the help of the international community, and since we are sure that they will be forthcoming we express our appreciation in advance. In recalling the tragedy that has befallen Jamaica I cannot bil at this stage to express our deep sympathy with regard to the natural disaster in Bangladesh. We fu lly under stand what has happened ther e, and we would r eques t the Permanen t Representative of Bangladesh to convey to his Government and his people the deep sympathy of the Government and the people of Jamaica. Similarly, to the other sufferers from hurricane Gilbert - the peoples of the Dominican RepUblic and Mexico - we also extend our deep sympathy and expressions of support and solidarity. The PRES IDENT: I now call on the represen ta tive of M2 xi co. Mr. MOYA PALENCIA (Mexico) (interpreta tion from Spanish); On behalf of the people and the Government of Mexico I should like first to express our solidarity with the peoples and the Governments of Bangladesh, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic and wi th all those other peoples in areas that have recently been struck by floods, hurricanes and other natural disasters. There are a number of developing peoples represented here which, in addi tion to the serious problems they face owing to the current economic situation, must also endeavour to overcome the vagaries of nature. As expressed by the President, the General Assembly's solidarity with our people, and in particular with those living in the communities that has been struck, is certainly fully appreciated by my Government. As was the case during the ill-fa ted days in 1985 when a terr ible ear thquake shook Mexico City and other places in Mexico, we are aware of the close solidarity of the international communi ty, which has been shown by our fr iends both near and far and for which Mexico is most grateful in all respects. As in that difficult period, the Government and the people, together with the federal, local and municipal authorities, have done all in their power to mitigate, in so far as p::>ssible, the consequences of hurricane Gilbert, which has devasta ted huge expanses of the Yucatan Peninsula, the State of Tamaulipas, the State of Nueva Leone and, in particular, the city of MOnterrey. This solidarity testifies to the renewal of the fighting spirit of the emerging peoples in the face of adversity. Just as there emerged out of the ruins of Mexico City after the 1985 earthquake a new awareness and attitude with regard to the many problems we faced in our daily life, I am sure the same will now be the case in the str icken regions of our country, where once again it will be seen that great peoples become even grea ter in the face of adversi ty. Allow me to conclude by expressing my gratitude to the international community - to you in particular, Mr. President - and to all representatives who are at one in extending to us their sympathy and assistance. I should like to add that, in addition to what the United Nations does as and when these natural disasters strike our peoples, our most important task will continue to be the betterment of eoonomic and social conditions throughout the world so that societies will be better prepared to meet this type of natural disaster and in a better position quickly to extr icate themselves from the effects of devastation. But above and beyond considerations of purely material aspects, what is encouraging is to see that faced with tragedy the soul of great cultures remains intact and mankind retains its great destiny through its determination.

Members will recall that by r esolu tion 42/1 of 7 October 1987 the Assembly decided to include th is i tern on the provisional agenda of the forty-third session. May I take it that the Assembly considers that the discussion of this item at the pr esen t session is concl uded? I t was so dad ded • The PRESIDENT (interpretation from Russian) ~ That concludes our consideration of agenda item 34.

Members will recall that on 18 September 1987 the Assembly decided to include this i tern in the agenda of the present session. It is my understanding that it would be desirable to defer consideration of this item to the forty-third session of the General Asserrbly. May I take it, therefore, that it is the wish of the Assent>ly to defer consideration of this item and to include it in the draft agenda of the forty-third session? It was so decided.

This concludes our consideration of agenda item 46.

The Assembly decided, on 18 September 1987, to include this item in the agenda of the forty-second session. It is my understanding that it would be desirable to defer consideration of this item to the forty-third session of the General Assent>ly. May I take it that it i.5 the wish of the Assembly to defer consideration of this item and to include it in the draft agenda of the forty-third session? Tt was so decided,

This concludes our consideration of agenda item 47.