British Response To The Hurricanes

[mikey4444]

I have just heard Boris waffle on to John Humphrys about how well he and the FO have responded to the hurricanes in the British Virgin Islands. But all the reports I have heard of, mostly this morning, tell a very different story.

[Sqad]

mikey you may well be right...one of those situations where the response depends upon to whom you talk.
The only mention I have heard was on SkyTV where an Aid worker was interviewed and he said that the response of the UK government was "immediate and effective"............for what it is worth.

Surely mikey....surely you are not making a Political point out of this Natural Disaster. .....that I refuse to believe.

[mikey4444]

He is a millionaire, many times over....he can afford the huge cost of rebuilding Necker.

[Old_Geezer]

Yes two weeks for Ocean to arrive.

Meanwhile folk can hold a different opinions on how well we've responded. Things can always be better or be worse. One might have hoped for a little more forward planning though. I suspect those in charge didn't anticipate well enough how much would be needed and when. Isn't Mounts Bay already in the area ?

[mikey4444]

No Sqad....just repeating what I heard on "Today" this morning. Its the FO that may be at fault here, not the Tory Party.

[naomi24]

^Or maybe there is no 'fault'.

[mikey4444]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0930zgw#play

The section that I was listening to this morning, starts at about 2:10:10.

[ummmm]

Of course he can, Mikey, that wasn't the point I was making.

People in general can't afford to rebuild/or even repair their houses on a yearly basis....it would be harder still if the houses weren't cheap to build.

[ummmm]

I agree, Naomi, there is no fault.

[mikey4444]

Ummm...perhaps if they were built a little stronger in the first place, there wouldn't be the need to start from scratch again every few years ?

[vulcan42]

mikey, do you not think that Richard Branson's house would have been built "a little stronger"?

[ummmm]

Stronger materials are much more expensive.

[237SJ]

Most of the people in the Caribbean can`t afford to have brick built houses. Everything has to be imported and it`s expensive.

[youngmafbog]

No welsh slate there Mickey. It makes perfect sense to have houses that can be rebuilt quickly and cheaply. The brick ones dont fare much better anyway.

As for the FO response it seems reasonable to me. No doubt once the airport is cleared planes can get drops in quicker.

[EcclesCake]

A friend works on Necker when/if I hear from him again I'll be sure to share you outrage and disgust with him Mikey. I am sure he'll be tougher by your concern.

[EcclesCake]

Touched not tougher all though assuming he's OK he'll be much tougher after such a ghastly experience.

[IggyB]

Mounts Bay, a huge 16,000-ton aid ship with marines, with helicopter, with palettes of aid was in the Caribbean for hurricane season.

The British don't have a garrison in their territory as the French do so French presence was seen first but... The French are currently asking for assistance from the UK so all in all I think our lot are doing better

[Spicerack]

Political capital, sqad, heaven forfend.
I read the same criticism in The Socialist Worker (oxymoron?) this morning.

[237SJ]

Aircraft are being chartered to take aid out there. It`s just that you don`t hear about it in the press

[237SJ]

But stiil, don`t let that you stop bashing the British response Mikey.

[Togo]

When are we going to get some "help" to cope with the wet wind that blows from the left on AB?