The People’s Movement for Change (PMC) says a bi-partisan agency should overlook the reconstruction after the Christmas floods, adding that it fears a repeat of 2010, where some persons affected by Hurricane Tomas are yet to receive help, while persons not affected have received disaster relief.
“Our recent history over the past 30 years has shown us that when events like this happen, the resulting relief and rehabilitation is skewed, unjust, and inequitable,” said Oscar Allen, chairman of the non-partisan, socio-political group, at a press conference on Wednesday.
“In this crisis, we are determined and we have asked the leaders to come together so that the process can be equitable and just and progressive. We also want to suggest that apart from the political leaders having a hand, the many voluntary organization and individuals who are giving support need to have a mechanism to show that their support is being used transparently.”
Nine persons died and three are missing as a result of the floods and landslides triggered by a trough system Christmas Eve. The extreme weather also left extensive damage to housing, public infrastructure, and agriculture.
(Visit our Facebook page for photos of the disaster areas)
Allen’s comments came two days after Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said it is better for persons not affected by the disaster to receive aid, than for penny-pinching public servants to be so discerning that persons affected by the disasters are inadvertently refused help.
(Read also: PM tells public servants not to ‘penny-pinch’ disaster relief)
Allen said that now is probably a good time for the reactivation of the National Monitoring and Consultative Mechanism, which scrutinizes the conduct of political parties during general elections.
“As we in the PMC opens our hearts and our consciences and our intelligence to our fellow citizens, we are asking the Vincentian public that in this time of healing and rebuilding of the infrastructure, … to consider coming together behind our political leaders and alongside our political leaders in a very firm and sustained way to ensure that the relief is done properly, adequately and equitably.”
Asked if he has any evidence that the reconstruction was being politicized, Allen said:
“One does not wait for evidence of wrong or for a break-in in your house to guard it.
“We have a history, and there are people suffering now from the efforts of Tomas who have been hit and have not been helped, while, on the other hand, there are people who have not been hit and have been helped. So, the history is there.”
Response to Opposition complaint
Allen said he noted that Leader of the Opposition, Arnhim Eustace, had complained of not being invited a disaster response meeting the Government held four days after the disaster.
Local and regional officials attended the meeting.
In responding to the Eustace’s comments, Gonsalves said that the nation is at war with nature, and when war breaks out, soldiers do not await and invitation — they report for duty.
“… that is disturbing and the Prime Minister himself seems to have the disposition that this is my work, I would do it, and he has been doing a significant amount of work.
“We consider two things: the nation is in a near crisis and when that happens, and as everybody’s saying, you want all hands on deck. And, without too much evidence — and it’s early — of disequilibrium in the effort, we want to make sure it doesn’t happen,” Allen said.
He disagreed with the Prime Minister’s position regarding the soldiers reporting for duty, saying it would have been “improper” for Opposition members to turn up at the meeting.
“They didn’t even know what the mandate of the meeting was, or that it was called. They couldn’t have attended something they didn’t know about,” Allen said.
During a national address on radio on Dec. 26, Gonsalves invited all local contractors, and foreign contractor who have done work for the government, to the meeting at 10 a.m. on Dec. 28.
Allen also noted that Gonsalves had said that he had consulted several persons, including former prime minister, Sir James Mitchell, about a donors’ conference.
“Isn’t that funny and strange that he had occasion and need to consult other people, including [a former prime minister] and not the current [Leader of the Opposition]?” Allen said.
“That’s distasteful and one should not take the Prime Minister’s explanations as if they are without merit for criticism.
Bi-partisan body
“On that point, we will like to see in the planning of our infrastructural reconstruction, particularly to see an agency in which both parties are present. I make the point that much of the devastation happened in like South Rivers and other areas where the Prime Minister is the representative. Other devastations occurred in areas where persons in the Opposition are the representatives. I personally am fearful that in the reconstruction effort, priority and preference and privilege may be given to areas where the members of the ULP are representative over other very urgent needs in other areas,” Allen said.
“If we have this bi-partisan governing body look at the construction, it would be more difficult for a disequilibrium in the location of the relief and the reconstruction. If we have the civil society monitoring agency, it would be more difficult for persons who have contracts to be told. ‘Hire these ULP people.’ Because, that has happened in the past,” Allen said.
“I am saying that the ownership of the process, the monopoly of the process by the government is not safe. And we are calling firmly and we will do so in a sustained manner to have this inclusive body, both state and civil society, active in the reconstruction and the relief.
“There has been so much outpouring by the Vincentian community here and abroad and by sympathetic persons and agencies and governments abroad, we cannot allow it to be misused, and that is what we are calling for,” Allen said.
You are so right, Mr. Allen, it’s the PM nature to bring ‘selfish’ politics into everything he say/do. I have said in the past that the PM is a snake and, especially at this time when the country, collectively, should come together, he continue to be that snake; only now he is more poisonous…he finds any loophole he can to hold SVG ransome. People, keep your hats on…
Oscar could bawl all he want, the elections done sew up good.
Mr Binose, there was a tree trunk sitting for months upon months in the gutter, blocking the gutter above the airport (ETJ). When the heavyish rains came the airport flooded causing it to be shutdown. The log was in the gutter before and during the hurricane season.
Then they move the old tree trunk after it did its damage.
Meanwhile, NEMO was running their hurricane ads, advising the public to cut back tree branches and clear their drains.
So they moved the old tree trunk but guess where did they put it?
Two feet above where it was in the gutter and probably where it came from in the first place.
Go figure.
Very well expressed oscar now can your group led by you undertake to ensure this non partisan body Iformed
OSCAR, the politicking has already started, failure to invite the NDP leadership to meetings, using terms such as war and army.
The man just cannot help himself, I personally believe he is eaten up with spite, malice and hatred for anyone, or any party that opposes him. I also believe he cannot help himself, that he is suffering from some type of mental illness. Why do I say this, because I believe that any decent thinking Christian man would never act in such a way.
Sour Grapes and I hope you all choke on them Peter Binose,Kay Bacchus Browne and Anita. We all know you hate de Comrade but until the National Disaster Party get rid of the dead wood at the top. You do not have a chance
Peter, the dead wood will remain at the top and we will beat you all with it come the next time. Its a sad state you don’t even have a clue as to what so many Vincentian are thinking. It is CHANGE
Oscar, the NDP already politicized the relief effort. How come you, Oscar, said nothing about that? SMH. The PM will be victorious in the end. Watch and see. Vincies nah strupid. The ULTRA critics of the PM and the Government will go mute then or go crazy as they have already started to become when the PM emerges triumphant.
FITZ OSBORNE, PETER JACOBS, GAME CHANGER, your about as sick as Wun-Phat-Pratt is.
Are you so pig ignorant that you will follow regardless of the scumability?
PETER BINOSE please understand first what you are reading before reacting to it. What I stated was in reference to what Peter Jacobs said in one of his comments. To class me with FITZ OSBORNE AND PETER JACOBS is like asking me to lead the blind which I am not prepare to do.
These Non-partisan fools can go have a seat. Although what they are saying might be true, it’s simple a case of trying to stitch together ones lost reputation, and kick the proverbial dog when it’s down. The ULP is not going to win another election and that is a fact, so we are going to be seeing a lot more of these so called groups coming out of the wood work to pretend like they cared about Vincentians, when we all know if the ULP was still strong they wouldn’t be saying a thing.
Almost 13 years the ULP have been victimizing Vincentians, and you all are coming now with under a year for election? I think that’s just too convenient, and I hope Vincentians though all you all out with the ULP, when the time comes.It’s time we stop playing games with people and come straight, If you weren’t talking for 13 years before, don’t talk close to election or after election when the ULP lose, that is far too late. The time to peak now are forever hold your peace is long gone.
Unfortunately, as Oscar Allen suggests, this has been going on for decades. Were the NDP in power today, the same complaints would be voiced. I just heard Major Leacock on Nice Radio say that such partisanship is a recent phenomenon and restricted to the ULP. This is a load of donkey manure. Only after the government in power enacts binding accountability and transparency legislation will this practice be reduced, if not eliminated. Until then SVG will remain a shitty littleThird World backwater.