Letter of the Day | ‘Hellish Black River’ – without representation or organization

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I read with great interest Corey Robinson’s account in The Sunday Gleaner of things in Black River two days after the passing of the hurricane. Corey’s account of the utter devastation and ensuing mayhem was still accurate on Saturday. But it is noticeable that he did not mention seeing or hearing from the people’s representatives. As a matter of fact it is not accurate to call them that. Black River was devoid of organisation or leadership up to Saturday night. How is it possible that three generators were sitting in boxes while the hospital remained without power? How is it possible that there was an office building – one of the few still standing stacked almost to the roof with water and other beverages, biscuits, bun and other snacks while the people stayed hungry and thirsty?

People showed up to support and to volunteer but there was no one to tell them what to do, so they just stood around. How is it possible that the soldiers who cleared the way into Black River and were now there to maintain calm had gone without food for 17 hours.

Where were the people’s representatives? The Government held some really good press conferences and Evan Thompson was pretty clear, this thing was going to happen and it was going to be catastrophic. The plans all sounded good and ministers spoke like they were locked and loaded and ready. How then is it possible that in the aftermath there was no one leading the relief effort in Black River up to Saturday? The breadbasket parish had been decimated, where was the minister of agriculture, who is also the MP for the Black River area. When it was time to put the post-hurricane plan into action, where were the local and national government representatives needed on the ground to execute the plan?

In the immediate aftermath of such an event the people need food, water and leadership, to give them hope. The people charged with providing those were woefully inadequate or completely missing. One local businessman who offered up his office and property as the relief hub was the only visible leader in the town, and he is a private citizen.

Much respect to the private citizens who brought in stuff and distributed, and kudos to KFC who took food into the neighbourhoods. Much love and thanks to a Probox driver licence plate 46…X.. who drove slowly through Holland and Lacovia and handed water to residents who lined the roadside begging for anything that passing motorists could offer.

When St Elizabeth needed leadership most of the so-called representatives were missing.

It is interesting though that the first thing on my Facebook timeline on Sunday morning was a picture of a member of parliament surveying the damage. What else do you need to see?

It is sad that even in the face of a once in a lifetime catastrophe like this, some are still more interested in their public profile and getting ‘likes’ than in performing for the people.

The people of St Elizabeth, and Black River in particular, deserve better!

SHAKEY WILLIAMS