Long Live Dominica !
The Caribbean Is One Nation.
We join with all those expressing
sympathy with our brothers and sisters in Dominica, who have been greatly damaged
by the Tropical Storm Erika. We express our sadness for the families of those who
lost their lives during this natural disaster. The news is even more devastating,
when the Prime Minister, of Dominica, Mr. Roosevelt Skerrit, states that the
damage will set the country back by twenty years. Taken in everyday language
this means that gains made for the last twenty years would be wiped out and
those projected for the next twenty will now have to be put back. All we can hope
is that they are not delayed by another twenty years.
Submitted by the Mahogany Coconut
Group
 |
| Dominica National Flag |
Ironically, as the people in New
Orleans, remember Hurricane Katrina, after ten years, they are saying that
while some progress has been made, there is still much to do, ten years after
the devastation. It therefore follows that if the mighty United States of
America cannot get New Orleans back on its feet after ten years, there is little
hope, from a purely economic perspective that Dominica‘s recovery will be
swift.
We have long posited that the
major threats to our region include our careless approach to the management of
the environment and rising crime. When disasters such as hurricanes occur they
make the protection of the environment even more difficult and lead to
additional pressure on very limited resources. Citizens who have to rebuild
from nothing, after having so little in the first place, can become despondent
and this leads to two extremes: one, an urgent and community based effort to
overcome the difficulties and a lingering negativity about their future
prospects. In times such as these, there must be steadfast and energetic leadership
designed and executed to halting desperation, hopelessness and negativity. We
suggest it is by no means an easy task.
We encourage and know that all
the Caribbean will assist in making sure that Dominica is given all the needed
assistance with its efforts to rebuild and move forward. With our support the
process of recovery will be shorter and some of the gains made over the last
twenty years will be saved and not lost forever.
Long Live Dominica!
Comments