The
problem with all disasters the world over is that they are only newsworthy for a few days, if you are lucky, you may get a week's coverage
from them. Politicians know this, that's why they are keen to get
there for their photo opportunity before the story goes cold. They
make a few very vague promises, before moving on to the next photo
opportunity. The people in the area where the disaster has taken
place usually feel abandoned and alone, which they usually are. New
Orleans in America is a prime example of this. Lots of media cover
when the levees broke. There were cameras from all over the world
filming the disaster. There were lots of vague promises made by the
"suits" but the city is still suffering years after. The people, like
all people in these situations, are resilient and carry on the best
they can. The worst affected are always the poor, as they lose
everything they have, sometimes thinking they have insurance, only to
find what the large print giveth, the small print taketh away!
I live
in Yorkshire. If you're from London, you may not know where this area
is. It is the largest county in Britain, but it might as well be in
Narnia, from the response of the government. No matter how much the
Cameron protests about the north-south divide, it's true. Look at any
research, be it on education, employment, health, infrastructure - all fare far
worse in the north than the south. This is an indisputable fact! All
the people who work in these industries in the north are good at what
they do but have to do it on a shoestring budget, while money is
pumped into the south east!
We have
had terrible floods here in north, and the Calder Valley, near to where I live, has been hit
particularity badly. Cameron arrived as usual in his green wellies
and pseudo-farmer's clothing, looking all concerned. When asked by
local newsmen what he was going to do about this disaster he
answered, “Of course our thoughts go out to the people affected by
this terrible disaster at this time.” When pressed again about what
he was going to do he replied, “We know it's important to get
things up and running as soon as possible, I have spoken to a family
who were completely flooded out, they have been taken to a centre for
warm food at this moment. I would like to praise our services who are
working around the clock in adverse conditions to help people at this
time.” What? When he was again pressed about what he was going
to do, he declared that they were going to spend another thirty
million on flood defences, The newsman, for some reason didn't ask him
if this money was already earmarked in the budget to be spent this
way because it's such a small amount of money to be spent on such an
important project. There has been £200 million already spent on
revamping St Pancras station and hotel in London, yet he can only
spend £30 million on stopping people's lives from being blighted in
the north! He was also not asked just where the £30 million was to
be spent, was this just in Calderdale near where I live, or York
which is famous for flooding, or in Cumbria, Northumbria or is the
£30 million for all of the north, which I suspect is the case.
How
much money did they find to bail out the banks? How much money do
they have to bomb innocent people abroad? If there was something in this
for his cronies, he would bend over backwards to see there was money
pumped into it. Just how hard have the Tories campaigned for the new
HS2 train line? Who is going to benefit from this? Working class
people who won't use it or won't be able to afford it, or rich investors
who will get land for free and government backing for their
investments? Yet all they are planning to spend to help the very
people they are in power to serve is a measly £30 million.
Because
lots of the people that have been affected here in Calderdale have been
flooded before, they cannot get any insurance, so they are now faced
with clean-up bills they can't afford. I can't imagine just what
these people must feel at this moment in time. Having to watch the
weather forecast each day, hoping for a break. Bridges have been
ripped apart by the torrents, schools have been closed, and now the
cameras have gone. Having said all this, wherever there is misery,
light often shines. People have come together to help those affected.
Concerts, donations, schools, pubs, businesses have all gathered
together to try do what the government should be doing, helping the
people in need. I shall take off my cynical head for now as people
really do need a helping hand so they need to take help from wherever
it comes. I too would like to help: I am after all the poet laureate
for Calderdale so along with Joel Duncan the young Poet laureate for
Calderdale I hope to go into schools that have been affected by the
flooding and get young people to write about their experience. My
publishers have kindly agreed to publish the work of the students and
we shall sell the book, all profits going to the flood appeal.
The
book, hopefully, will be called 'Floods Of Tears And Laughter' So
please, if you can afford it, when it comes out in March, buy a copy because, unlike Cameron's
promises, this is a small gesture that we hope can make a big difference.
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