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The UN secretary described it as the ‘most serious humanitarian crisis faced by the United Nations’ in decades. Nobody can imagine the sheer monstrosity of the earthquake that struck Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, in January 2010.

We had not expected the New Year to begin with such a catastrophic start. However, you could argue that the local residents were just awaiting its arrival. Haiti has already suffered from 4 hurricanes in 2008 and you would think that surely someone in their right mind would show some form of deterrence against Mother Nature’s impending attacks. Yet the government hasn’t bothered to make any plans or preparations for the future. There is an eminent lack of authority in the air, which has endangered thousands of lives.

Even though the UN, its beacon of hope, is responding to Haiti’s SOS signals, there are several factors wearing it down. Since the earthquake has not only devastated their entire headquarters, but destroyed the transport system as well, transport has been impossible. It has been problematical to mobilise any relief efforts. Contingency plans and emergency equipment have all vanished. Purification tanks, latrines and pumps have all been buried. Mounds of rubble are the only thing remaining. What’s more? Attempts to communicate with sole survivors have been futile. Landlines are lying strewn upon the floor as if they had been uprooted from the ground.

Work is currently underway as a supply chain is being devised to help ship in aid from neighbouring cities and countries such as Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and Miami. There is no way of estimating on a scale as to how long it will take to rejuvenate the area - it may be months, it maybe years.