Jamaica is faced with some difficult days ahead which will require sober leadership at every level - political and civil. We are scheduled to go to the polls for general election within a few days amid some dislocation brought on by Hurricane Dean.

The fight for scarce benefits and spoils is likely totake on new dimensions as politicians will seek, as they are wont, to exploit the misery of the suffering for political gain. Some will also make wild accusations about lack of attention or obtaining relief supplies in the hope of discrediting their opponents. Amid all this, the resources of the security forces will be further stretched as they carry out their responsibility of maintaining law and order.

It is imperative that the Government keeps its commitment to be responsive to the needs of all Jamaicans and respectful of their rights irrespective of political affiliation. It is equally important that the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party, in its quest for power, be mindful of the national situation, giving priority to the state of people's lives and not just to seeking whatever advantage it can over the governing party.

While the hurricane's damage was not uniform across the nation, it was significant enough to disrupt the lives of thousands of people. Even for those who have had a restoration of water and electricity supplies, elections and voting will not be a priority for them. Faced with the prospect of having to divert funds to address house repairs instead of their children's back-to-school needs, many will find these to be extremely challenging times.

We note too the National Water Commission's appeal for residents who are still without piped water not to vandalise its property. Clearly, these acts are being carried out by persons desperate for potable water. To reduce the likelihood of these acts being replicated, the system under which water is to be trucked to the worst-affected areas should be clearly communicated and followed as much as is practicable.

In the meantime, the process of restoring electricity to some areas will be a fairly long one. For while the Jamaica Public Service Company has been carrying out a project to replace old wooden poles with concrete ones, large sections of the Corporate Area and other parts of the island have yet to benefit from this exercise. Even with the relatively mild brush of Hurricane Dean, many of these wooden poles snapped, pulling down wires as they toppled over. Residents in these areas, who now find themselves having to rely increasingly on the use of candles and kerosene lamps, are likely to be extremely agitated. We urge our political leaders and civic organisations to be responsive to the most urgent situations, to help as many people to get back on their feet as quickly as possible.

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