Gov. Patrick commemorates one year anniversary of Haiti earthquake

Gov. Deval Patrick hailed the “vibrant Haitian-American community” in Boston as one of many reasons he continues to aid Haiti’s reconstruction process at “Haiti – A Year after the Earthquake: Reflections and Prayers,” on Monday.

“So much in Haiti was broken and so many of our hearts were broken too,” Patrick said. “We felt the impact of that earthquake right here in Massachusetts.”

About 150 Boston residents and Haitians attended the reception held in Boston’s Statehouse to remember the year since the devastating earthquake in Haiti on Jan. 12, 2010.

“Today, after 12 months, our hearts are still torn apart by the tragedies,” said the Rev. Dr. Soliny Vedrine of the Boston Missionary Baptist Church. “We still share the pain.”

Bostonians from Haiti reflected on the disaster.

“My family down there, my sisters and brothers, their house crashed, it collapsed,” said Arthur Almeda, who is originally from Haiti.

“Some of them were injured and three of them died and three kids of theirs also died from the outbreak.”

With the tragedy still looming, many speakers discussed the efforts made to help reconstruct Haiti.

One problem encountered in the aftermath when trying to help was that with Haiti’s airports and harbors destroyed after the quake, it was nearly impossible for Haiti to receive the shipments of supplies, said Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Michael Capuano.

“Our military was absolutely essential in getting supplies into Haiti after the devastation,” Capuano said.

New plans are forming to send the Massachusetts National Guard to aid in the reconstruction of Haiti, Patrick said. Their mission is to bring clean drinking water to Haiti.

“I’m glad to see that a year later he’s still remembering,” said Shirley Pierre, a Boston resident from Haiti. “He can still keep us, somehow, in the minds of people so that we can get help in the effort of reconstruction.”

Although efforts to rebuild strive on, Haitians continue to suffer from poor living conditions.

“1.5 million people [still] live under tents and tarps in Port Au Prince,” said Boston Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry.

A cholera outbreak in Haiti has also greatly impacted the living conditions, Forry said.

The epidemic has left almost 4,000 dead as of Jan. 14, according to a report by the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team.

“There’s still a lot to do, and everyone here knows that,” Capuano said of the reconstruction of Haiti.

Emmanuelle Dupiton, Consul General of Haiti, agreed, saying that even a year later recovery and reconstruction remain a top priority.

“Experts who have looked at large scale, internal displacement of people in other countries have said it will take years [to rebuild Haiti.],” Dupiton said.

After the reception, Patrick announced that Jan. 12 to Feb. 12 will be “Haiti Earthquake Remembrance Month.”

“In tough times, we must turn to each other, not on each other,” Patrick said.