(By Ernesto Cooke) – While some legitimate concerns from evacuees are forthcoming, Vincentians must not allow a cell phone to dictate their response.
Speaking to reporters in North Leeward on Saturday, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves said when there is a small problem here and there, and a keyboard warrior wants to and amplify a minor issue that has no relation to reality, he does not allow such to sidetrack him from the main event at hand.
“Real people, with real problems are being addressed”. Gonsalves told reporters.
The Prime Minister said in a disaster, all citizens become NEMO, the National Emergency Management Organization.
“About a complaint made by a citizen to him, Gonsalves said he told the individual to come down from the pavilion and help, saying when disaster strikes all of us are NEMO, I am NEMO, You are NEMO, Everybody is NEMO”.
Gonsalves said the eruption of La Soufriere is a disaster and urge citizens not to make the worst of them be exhibited.
“You neighbour get stuff, and you ain’t get don’t involve yourself in no quarrel, people bring water for you, they bring it by your gate and you in the porch, for God sake, come down and help, don’t ask the person who is delivering to bring it in”, he said.
The Prime Minister said we are a Caribbean civilization with all the virtues of kindness; we must not allow the cell phone to turn us into who we are not.
“At first sight of something, we complain and complain; the complaining industry is unworthy of us in this particular time”, Gonsalves told reporters.
In making the comparative point, the Prime Minister said with just two weeks into the eruption of La Soufriere; no one has been placed in the stadium at Arnos Vale; as a matter of fact, no one has been placed anywhere without food and the necessary services.
“The issue of no place to sleep, food and water came out in the hurricane disaster of Katrina in the great USA you know, no has yet gone looting anywhere for food, as happen with Katrina, No church has closed its doors on evacuees, that happened in the great USA with Katrina”.
Hurricane Katrina was a large Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 deaths and $125 billion in damage in August 2005, particularly in New Orleans and the surrounding areas.
