THE EDITOR, Sir:AS I look at the devastation engulfing New Orleans and Mississippi in the United States, my mind wonders how, if at all, Jamaica can learn from this horrific hurricane.
We too are prone to hurricanes and other water disasters, so it behooves us to pay close attention not only to the news in the aftermath of 'Killer Katrina', but also to the discussions now emerging about what went wrong in terms of evacuation from low-lying or below sea level areas, shelter preparedness and strength, communication during and after a storm, and most importantly, the environmental impact of human 'progress'.
Nature is rarely wrong in her design, so we should all be careful as we reroute rivers, dump up swamps and marshes for highways and other projects, build houses on hillsides, cut down trees and other vegetation from hillsides without adequate replanting to aid reforestation, and the general day-to-day disposal of waste.
I'm thinking in particular of the work now taking place on the causeway leading to Portmore, and the major dumping up and destruction of the nearby swamps and marshes. I'm thinking of the ugly beige colour of the neighbouring swamps as debris from residents is dumped into them and the debris from construction backs up rendering the swamp unable to perform its vital drainage and coastal protection functions (and I won't even begin to wonder about how the animal and plant life is being affected by the disruption to their natural habitat).
How are these construction practices going to affect the surrounding communities when the next hurricane comes along? Will there be an impact on communities not directly adjacent to this area?
I don't think we're due many more near misses as was the case with 'Ivan'. Sooner rather than later, a big one will unfortunately hit us. Are we prepared? I'm thinking of how Kingston Harbour, the world's seventh-largest natural harbour, has taken on an ugly, filmy green-black appearance over the past 12 or so years.
How are we disposing of our waste, both residential and commercial? What measures are in place to monitor and enforce laws that are supposed to protect the environment? I'm thinking of how the Palisadoes Strait responded to the recent hurricanes and heavy rains with the drastic shift of sand and coastline and being completely submerged. With already scarce resources and too much demand, are we prepared to handle any type of major disaster?
Failure to learn the lessons of 'Katrina' now will mean a bitter and costly lesson later on and the exacerbation of our current problems. While we watch the TV in disbelief and pray for the victims of Katrina, don't forget to look in your own community for how you too could be susceptible to the same devastations. We need to take a hard look at our habits so that we are as prepared as possible for the future.
I am, etc.,
RENEE-LAUREN ELLIS
Rosedale, NY
Rlve16@yahoo.com
Via Go-Jamaica
