April 25, 2007
In a conference call earlier this week, the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson Sr., founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, and Louisiana State Sen. Cleo Fields said they would be leading a march into New Orleans’ Ninth Ward to address “still unfulfilled promises to displaced New Orleans residents.”
Referring to the efforts to rebuild following the tragedy of September 11 and how quickly assistance found its way to the areas affected in the terrorist attacks, Rev. Jackson said money made its way from the nation’s capital to Baton Rouge, but not to the many displaced because of Hurricane Katrina and Rita, nearly two years ago.
“Not a single house has been rebuilt in the Ninth Ward,” said Rev. Jackson. “It is shameful the way the process has been jammed by politics.”
Politics, he said, have kept the money in Baton Rouge, instead of released into the hands of citizens so they can start rebuilding their lives.
He also made a point that New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has long asserted; that the parts of Mississippi damaged have received more resources than New Orleans.
“The Congressional Black Caucus, SCLC, National Action Network and Urban League are all marching to give visibility to this issue,” continued Mr. Jackson, who also assailed President Bush for “not even mentioning” Katrina in the State of the Union address.
The president’s lack of interest; as well as corruption allegations lodged against FEMA have resulted in the further disenfranchisement those citizens of New Orleans.
“We have to make releasing the money a priority. That’s why we support Sen. Cleo Fields bill because the commitment that was made must be honored.”
FEMA made head-lines recently when a report from the Homeland Security Department’s office of the inspector general was released showing that nearly $4 billion in contracts was awarded to companies that did not necessarily deserve them.
Sloppy paperwork, poor credit histories and inflated bids were just a few of the allegations lodged at the organization responsible for assisting in the hurricane recovery effort.
Rev. Jackson and Sen. Fields discussed those allegations and said the federal funds “lay dormant in Baton Rouge” instead of rebuilding several neighborhoods in need of the funds.
Sen. Fields said his bill comes up for a vote next week and he feels optimistic be-cause from his colleagues, “the response has been great thus far.”
“Everyone basically agrees that the money should have gone to those affected,” said the Louisiana legislator.
The prefiled bill (SB 267) would have the office of community development will administer the remainder of funds provided from the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant Program to Louisiana, to deal with damages following hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
It would also get past the “crippling bureaucracy” that Rev. Jackson says is keeping many people from returning to New Orleans.
“There are people who want to come home. There are Black businesses that want to come home,” he said. “They can’t come back because there is no place to stay, no place to go.”
The Ninth Ward of New Orleans was chosen as the site for the demonstration on Saturday because Mr. Jack-son said the area is symbolic of New Orleans and the people.
The group will gather at 8:00 a.m. at the Frederick Douglass High School and march through the Ninth Ward.
“If we can open the process there, it will apply everywhere else. You can’t focus on everyplace.
“Council members, community groups, citizens who have since relocated to 10 top areas around the country will be focusing on all the communities that are still suffering.
“We intend to be persistent and to follow through on this issue,” he concluded.
Cheryl can be reached at csmith@dallasweekly.com
|
