Empathy with Katrina’s victims

Weekly viewpoint by Robert Persaud

The devastating flood in New Orleans and Biloxi communities on the United States Gulf Coast by Hurricane Katrina some eight days ago produced some of the most gut wrenching images on television: flattened buildings and flyovers, roads and highways now turned into rivers, dead bodies floating, houses submerged a city looking like a lake. These pictures and the stories of victims and survivors evoke deep feelings of sorrow. The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which was earlier thought to be a mere tropical storm, reminds us of nature’s unstoppable force and capacity to destroy.

            In Guyana, we too experienced nature’s wrath with the January 2005 floods caused by the highest recorded rainfall. But the flood in the low-lying New Orleans and other areas was much greater in size and magnitude than what we faced earlier this year. Given Guyana’s limited physical and economic infrastructure and the US’s more advanced development, anecdotally our flood disaster is likely to have greater long-term effect on the national economy.

The destruction of a culturally-rich US city, the sufferings endured by thousands for days, the dislocation of an entire city population and the unprecedented nature of this type of disaster for the US can only be equated with the flooding which occurs in certain parts of Asia.

            Those who lived through our own flood, especially residents along the East Coast of Demerara would better understand the sufferings, fears and anxieties faced by the victims in the flood stricken areas in the US.

            Guyana was swift to offer assistance to the people and government of the US. President Bharrat Jagdeo spoke to the US government representative on our offer of assistance. He further initiated a discussion with various non-governmental and charitable groups on a total Guyana response. Yes, it is true that our contribution is but a drop in the ocean measured against the help needed in the US to fully recover from the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. As a good friend of the US and a member of the community of nations, we are obligated to play our part. More importantly, the US government was among those who pledged and delivered help to our country during the flood disaster.

            The possibility exists that US-based Guyanese could be among victims, as the latest US census shows that about 300 US-based Guyanese were reported to be living in the New Orleans area. The Guyana diplomatic mission in the US would be tracking the situation.               

            To date, there has not been a final body count as corpses are still being recovered, cost of destruction of property and the final cost needed for recovery in the flooded areas are still being assessed. This will take some time. And while some are reluctant to leave their flooded homes, many say they would not be returning.   

The panic and frustration shown on television are understandable in such situations. Already, the debates about the pace of and quality of the early response to help flood-hit residents is raging at all levels of the US government and nation.

            But more important now, as it was during the early phase of our own flood disaster, is to ensure that those trapped are rescued and relief is delivered to every victim. The energy expended on apportioning blame must be diverted to relief efforts. There will be much time for this exercise as we ourselves have learnt that it is futile for anyone to be distracted by judging who is right or wrong at this point in time.  The humanitarianism in all those concerned must come to the surface and be fully tapped for the benefit of the response.

            In Guyana’s case, the government had deliberately avoided attempts by various elements to create distractions from the relief and recovery efforts. It was criticised for delaying a parliamentary debate on the flood until relief was taken to all those affected. This decision proved to be a wise one as the opposition showed in the call for a debate that it was more interested in scoring political points than contributing to a meaningful national response.

            The long-term US flood response would certainly provide some lessons for Guyana as the threat of flood always loom given the reality that about 90% of our population live along the coast which is below sea level. Comforting for us has been the quality of leadership and rapidity of the flood relief and recovery exercises to our own disaster. This has now been complemented by the on-going work to boost our flood-control capacity. We all will be following this situation closely.

            All those affected do have the moral support and sympathy of our people and as one US army general associated with the relief effort said there are more important phases to come, which require much strength and resilience.

            The hurricane season is not yet over. But it is hoped that we have seen the last of this type of destruction even as another tropical storm edges its way to the Florida and Atlanta states shoreline.    

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