NOTE-WORTHY - Planning for catastrophes
Published:Saturday | January 30, 2010 | 12:00 AM
In your January 29 Letter of the Day entitled 'Relocate Haiti's capital', Faith Clarke makes a very convincing argument for relocating Haiti's capital, given the reality of the existing fault line and cost of reconstruction, etc. Her argument should at least be part of the dialogue by those in the international community who have been charged with coordinating the recovery and rebuilding effort.
Her letter does, however, raise another question: What is the contingency plan of the Jamaican Government in the event of a catastrophic earthquake, tsunami or hurricane that may devastate Kingston? Let us remember, the fault that devastated Haiti runs all the way west through Kingston, Jamaica!
Is there a plan in place, for example, to move the Government to Montego Bay in the event of a major catastrophe in Kingston? Have facilities been identified that the Government would occupy (pre-planned or commandeered) should the need arise? In Montego Bay, we already have access to international travel via air and sea ports to help keep the Government functional, while serving as a viable alternative entry point for international aid shipments.
This question deserves some consideration and assurances from the Government to the Jamaican people.
Everton A. Enniseaennis@hotmail.com
I can never understand why so many people - especially religious ones, who believe in the Bible that clearly teaches that freedom of choice is given to all - would want to deny others the freedom of choice. There was a young woman who was married. The doctor advised her of the danger of having a child because of a medical condition she had. She chose to have the child and died. That was her right to choose.
If she had chosen not to, it would still have been her right to choose. Any individual who is perfectly in control of their faculties has the right to free choice. Freedom of choice does not necessarily mean that you are in favour of abortion. It certainly means that one should keep out of the others affairs unless he or she is asked for advice.
I do not hear anyone complaining that priests who choose to be celibate should be denied their freedom of choice.