Dear Editor,

The heavy rains that pelted the island for a few weeks have caused serious damage to some of the country’s infrastructure. There has also been the loss of at least two lives due to land slippage. Quite ostensibly the natural disaster has caused economic losses.

In light of the destruction caused by the rains some people are creating a picture of governmental culpability. I hasten to state, therefore, that playing the blame game is not useful. It is better for us to seek lasting solutions to the problem of natural disasters.

I suggest that:

• We become educated on the dangers of natural disasters and how we can avoid exacerbating this problem.

• We should not build houses in flood-prone areas, where structures already exist, the Government should enforce mandatory evacuation/relocation.

• We should not purchase lands that are on terrains that are susceptible to natural disaster. For those who have such lands, the Government should implement a programme of land swapping.

• Our roads should be constructed and macadamised with durable materials. Occasional road maintenance is also necessary.

It is pertinent to state that, apart from the human cost of natural disasters, huge economic losses resulting from them set us back and make economic prosperity a mirage.

Pastor Ugochukwu Wilson Durueke

udurueke@yahoo.com