Govt not to blame for the flooding

I remember when George W Bush was in power in the US and the extremely harsh and unfair criticism he received for the disastrous flooding in Louisiana.

Heavy rainfall and stormy conditions are a part of nature and are acts of God, but the criticism directed at Bush was misguided and counterproductive because he was not responsible for sending the rains to Louisiana, although the criticism he received made it appear that way.

In a similar vein, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley did not send heavy and consistent rains over a short period of time this month nor is he solely responsible for the regular flooding.

Some people are eager to make this Government look bad because they prefer another party or are keen to post on their Facebook walls, pictures of flooding with irresponsible comments that make it appear this is a new phenomenon.

Floods are caused by a variety of factors and it is unfair for the majority of the criticism to be directed at the Government.

We are all partly responsible.

Floods are a powerful and destructive force on our planet.

While there are naturally caused floods that have happened from time to time that natural systems could mostly handle, our irresponsible development of a lot of the world’s landscape and our consumptive lifestyles have resulted in an increase in floods and the disaster that is accompanied with it. We must share the blame and instead of directing it all to the PNM we must look to develop solutions. However, there are some benefits to flooding that must also be taken into consideration.

For instance, in many of the world’s natural systems, floods play a significant role in maintaining key ecosystem functions and biodiversity. They recharge groundwater systems, fill wetlands, increase the connectivity between aquatic habitats, and move both sediment and nutrients around the landscape and into the marine environment.

For many species, floods are linked to breeding events, migration, and dispersal. The environmental benefits of flooding can also help the economy by causing an increased fish production.

Before we direct all our frustration at the Government, it must be noted that the powers that be in TT are constantly working to ensure that Port of Spain is maintained and that flooding is prevented. The cleaning and maintenance of the streets of the capital begin at 3 am, while most of us are asleep, and this practice of cleansing occurs daily.

The maintenance workers are responsible for sweeping and clearing and continuous cleaning and disposal of garbage. There is an organised system in place for cleansing and sanitising the streets which involves collection of garbage and disposal at the Beetham Landfill.

Some people keep placing all the blame for flooding on the Government but we need to rethink our positions and come to the realisation that this is intellectually dishonest and unfair.

SIMON WRIGHT Chaguanas