Port au Prince Radio

*THE TERRY REPORT* *+Haiti+Chile* NEWS, commentary, terrorism coverage, disaster relief, politics, books, culture, cycling, travel, LIFE

	There are several significant efforts underway to improve communications on the ground in Haiti and Port au Prince, a particularly vital need. A reporter for a Washington, DC television station in PauP yesterday (1.22.10) said that many in the field hospitals, including doctors, did not even have the information that USNS Comfort had arrived and was taking patients. With cell service spotty and computer links difficult, it is not surprising. Reports indicate that 12 Haitian radio stations have returned to the airwaves. These are mainly in creole and are not aimed at helping the international relief effort, in the main. *Sirius XM, the New York/Washington based satellite radio company, is shipping a number of battery powered satellite radios into Haiti and will be operating a full time satellite audio channel through USAID. It is possible that this channel will be operational in a few days. The US Air Force is giving away 50,000 hand cranked & solar powered radios* to civilians in Haiti. The idea is mainly to warn Haitians not to attempt to travel to the US by boat, telling them they would be The Haiti Coordination Group is planning to establish wi-fi service in the encampment areas of relief organizations. The creation of an open radio channel for coordination of relief efforts is also being considered.

		end