![\"Commentary\"](\"http:\/\/dominicanewsonline.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/07\/commentary2.jpg\")
As we approach the first month after the disaster, the roads are unblocked with the exception of Boetica and Petite Savanne which face major challenges, crystal clear water is again running down our rivers into the sea, the ravines and water courses are silent, the authorities should have had sufficient time to determine the extent of damage the country suffered.<\/p>\n
Within a few days of the disaster the Prime Minister gave a rough estimate of over $600-million worth of infrastructural damage and subsequently a billion dollar estimate was revealed. One was not clear as to whether the figures were based on the cost of replacement of the damaged facilities or whether it was the market value, in which case there would be a significant difference. To explain that point, one can build a structure at a cost of $200.00 but after it is completed that structure can be valued on the market for $250.00. An insurance company would not be interested in the market value because their concern would be to return the property to its present condition prior to the disaster.<\/p>\n
The damage suffered from the torrential rains was primarily to the road infrastructure which includes the bridges and collapsed sections of various roads. Additionally there was significant damage of residential buildings in some villages namely, a section of Bath Estate, Checkhall, Coulibistrie, Colihaut, Pichline, Dubique, Petite Savanne, Bagatelle, Fond St. Jean, DuBlanc and a few others of lesser significance. It must be noted that the situation in Boetica and Delices is as a result of a collapsed bridge over a 200 feet gorge which has resulted in the lack of access to these communities.<\/p>\n
The private sector losses have not been given much attention though it is known that the Jungle Bay Resort has been decimated and Sam Raphael has indicated his intention to abandon the location. The loss of Jungle Bay is catastrophic to the Dominican economy, at a time when the development had just started to stamp its mark as one of the best eco-tourism resorts in the world. Other private sector losses of significance are the Essential Oils Cooperative in Petite Savanne, Colgate Palmolive at Belfast and Macoucherie Estate. With the exception of DHTA (Dominica Hotel and Tourism Association) which came up with a figure of close to EC$40 million, the rest of the private sector has been mute on the cost of their losses. The manufacturing sector appears to have suffered a similar loss to that of DHTA.<\/p>\n
Another aspect of the loss suffered is the number of damaged facilities that were insured. It would be informative to know the number of residential and other buildings that qualify for insurance compensation. With this information consideration should be given to the level of assistance the owners of uninsured properties would require.<\/p>\n
The international community suffers from disaster fatigue, the European Union is burdened with one of its biggest refugee problems since the second World War and the Boat People from Vietnam. The United States is confronted with wild fires in California and flooding in other states as well as having to deal with ISIS in a presidential election season. Since Erika\u2019s torrential rain, Japan has flooded, Chile experienced an 8.3 earthquake and other countries have experienced other disasters that we were too busy to give any attention to. So as time passes the images of disaster in Dominica, which briefly caught the attention of the international news media, are quickly being archived and we are left on our own to rebuild our little rock.<\/p>\n
The days when international funding agencies and governments would dish out millions of dollars at the request of suffering third world countries, for disaster relief, are over. After Hurricane David in 1979, countries all over the world voluntarily pledged support to Dominica and Bernard Wiltshire and Rosie Douglas were single-handedly able to raise $25 million from the Non-Aligned movement.<\/p>\n
Today most of the pledges from governments are made in kind, in the form of material and technical assistance or financial contributions are made to the Red Cross. By the way, does the Dominica Red Cross issue audited financial reports to the public? If they haven\u2019t over the years because there activities have been low key, this time around the Dominican public should demand a comprehensive audited report from the Dominica Red Cross to account for all the monetary and material contributions that they have received on the behalf of the Dominican people.<\/p>\n
The reluctance of the international community in assisting third world countries with financial assistance is also based on their experience with governments using disaster situations to perpetuate political power by exaggerating the extent of their loss and through blatant corruption where they use political cronies to distribute relief supplies giving the impression that the assistance came from the political party in power. Another reason for the lack of support from the international community is the lack of transparency and accountability on the part of the affected governments. Because the governments find themselves operating in a crisis situation, they are of the impression that the international community should waive all their established procedures and protocols to facilitate the requesting governments. This may have been the situation in 1979 and maybe up to 2000, but definitely not in 2015.<\/p>\n
The appointment of Baroness Scotland as the international fund raiser may have been a good idea, but to expect the Baroness to successfully raise funds with a hat in hand without a well-prepared recovery plan and verifiable information, is really underestimating or misunderstanding how today\u2019s international community operates when it comes to dishing out money. The fact that the Baroness is on island and in her first press briefing she could only make mention of the $300,000.00 (pounds or dollars?) contribution from the British government says a lot. If the Baroness had attracted a bigger fish, in the same way that she made mention of the U.K. contribution, it is assumed that she would have made the announcement, except if she was seeking the green light from her boss to make the revelation.<\/p>\n
It is important to note that information disseminated about assistance given to Dominica as a result of the disaster has not come from the Government of Dominica but from the contributing governments and agencies. The World Bank was quick to announce that the assistance to Dominica will be the diversion of funds from the Disaster Vulnerability Reduction project that was already approved, the Chinese announced their US$300,000.00 and all the Caricom countries made their own announcements that were, in some cases, confirmed by the government. Very significant in the contributions made to Dominica is the US$100,000.00 from the Government of Taiwan, through the OECS. Has this one been acknowledged?<\/p>\n
To raise one billion dollars just to reconstruct what existed and at the same time finding the resources to continue the development of the island is an unenviable task which requires a high level of competence, maturity, honesty, transparency, accountability and all the other accolades which go with good governance. The Government of Dominica has made pronouncements for all hands to be on deck for the reconstruction process, but the reality on the ground indicates the exclusion of many qualified, experienced and capable Dominicans from the process. Political party cronies and sympathizers are being positioned in places where they lack the relevant competence and there appears to be a subtle attempt to glorify the political leader as the saviour of the nation. The incompetence of a number of ministers is frightening and it proves that some like the Minister for Public Works, Minister for Housing, Minister for Agriculture and the Minister of Trade among others are unfit to hold ministerial positions and they should be downgraded to parliamentary secretary positions or sent back to their constituencies to play their parochial politics.<\/p>\n
At this stage in the reconstruction process the nation should know the names of all the victims of the disaster by publishing the confirmed dead and those that are missing. The relatives of the victims need to know to bring closure to their state of mourning. Almost four weeks after a disaster people are still trying to find out about the fate of their love ones and unless it comes from the authorities it will always be speculative<\/p>\n
The information on how well the country is doing with the mobilization of financial assistance for reconstruction and what has to be done to generate more assistance has to be made public. There should be no secrecy in the amount of assistance Dominica has received and how much has been pledged. It is the people\u2019s right to know because any assistance received is for and on the behalf of the people of Dominica and any attempt to conceal, manipulate or distort this information will spell more disaster for Dominica, because the donors will not appreciate any such action and may be dissuaded to assist, because those who give only look for the public acknowledgement and appreciation in return.<\/p>\n
It appears that within the next few weeks, as the dust dries up, Dominica may be left on its own to gather the pieces and rebuild its own economy. It is therefore recommended that all hands on deck should be given validity of all Dominicans, at home and abroad, be given the opportunity to participate in the reconstruction process and by so doing we will be less dependent of foreign assistance, which does not seem to be coming in the volume and speed required to put Dominica back on its feet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As we approach the first month after the disaster, the roads are unblocked with the exception of Boetica and Petite Savanne which face major challenges, crystal clear water is again running down our rivers into the sea, the ravines and…","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":39536,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-146412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-commentary"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n