Bush’s Katrina promises unfulfilled

KATRINA, page 1 dards when they could not do the job in the first place? In order for New Orleans to be protected they must be rebuilt to withstand a category 5 hurricane,” Catalanotto said.

Dismayed state and local officials said the president’s approach does not provide help for an additional 185,000 destroyed homes. They warned that the federal government’s halting recovery effort is undermining, at a critical juncture, the confidence of homeowners, i nsurers and investors about returning.

“They gave us a ladder to reach all of our housing needs, but the top rungs are missing,” L ouisiana Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco said in statement from Baton Rouge. “You can’t fix a $12 billion problem with $6 billion,” as reported in the Washington Post.

Louisiana state representative, Richard H. Baker, said, “Without a government mechanism to compensate homeowners and t hen clean up and repackage entire, devastated neighborhoods for developers, much of the city will never be rebuilt.”

“Anyone who is still in New Orleans is waiting for a decision. Residents are in absolute limbo right now; if they decide to rebuild and the city makes an opposite decision about how things should be rebuilt, then they’re screwed,” Dan Squire, a junior English and communication major and first-time visitor in New Orleans said.

The president vowed “to get the work done quickly . . . honestly and wisely,” but a key first step, cleanup, has not gone smoothly, according to a Washington Post report.

The Post reported that, “Thirty million cubic yards of debris remain uncollected, enough to build a five-sided column more than 50 stories tall over the Pentagon.” This is provoking environmental concerns, fears of runaway spending abuses and a spirit-sapping despair for all who live amongst the ruins of Katrina’s wrath.

“This great city will rise again,” said Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu. “The question is whether the city and the region will be doing it alone, dragging the federal government with us every step of the way, or will this administration get in gear and put their mind to the task at hand?”

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Disaster plan not foolproof

DISASTER, page 1 proposed to have a full-time FEMAresponse force of 1,500 employees, instead of relying on mostly volunteers. Chertoff wants to push integrating FEMA within Homeland Security, and he wants to increase capacity of its disaster registration systems to handle 200,000 people a day. Also, Chertoff wants to push claims personnel into the field to serve victims instead of requiring them to use the internet or telephones. co, a sophomore business administration major.

In the majority of people on Cabrini’s campus who do not have high expectations of the new disaster plan was Dr. Jolyon Girard, a professor of history and political science. Girard explained that the plan was soothing for people because it shows them the government is doing something.

Bianco said, “With the way the administration is run, I don’t think it will be foolproof. I think they’re trying to cover themselves and make it look like they’re putting forth an effort.” no less beautiful

According to the Washington Post, testimony held by congressional and Department of Homeland Security auditors on Feb. 13, highlighted flaws in the ongoing domestic reconstruction. There has been $85 billion in congressional aid so far, nearly six months after the Aug. 29 storm with millions of dollars in waste. Also, a doubtful eligibility of tens of thousands of people have received aid after the storm and poor federal financial controls.

Amy Butler, a freshman whose major is undecided, is in agreement with Bianco.

Hurricane Katrina.

However, Girard said, “No plan will create a perfect environment.”

Among the many students who have low expectations for the new disaster plan is Jim Bian-

Butler said, “I think everything will remain the same. I think that Hurricane Katrina showed a lack of responsibility from the local and the federal government.”