Two years to the day that the levies overlooking New Orleans burst, President George Bush toured the still beleaguered city and delivered what the press has called a "message of hope." Yet for all of the political posturing Wednesday, the fact remains that the areas outside of the French Quarter and the downtown center still remain in taters, and great strides must be made in revitalizing the broader metropolitan area.
After facing a series of bungled relief efforts, bureaucratic red tape, and a general decline in political will as the disaster fades from popular memory, it is this editorial board's opinion that policy-makers must redouble efforts to rebuild New Orleans, implement preventative measures that will ensure such a disaster does not repeat itself, and achieve long-term civil and economic stability.
Despite billions of dollars of federal disaster relief, large swaths of New Orleans, especially many of the poorer areas, such as the 9th Ward, remain undeveloped. However, while it is important that the city does not discriminate its redevelopment policy based upon socioeconomic lines, it must be remembered that the city has a responsibility not to develop parts of the town that remain highly susceptible to destruction should the levies break again in a future storm.
Unfortunately, because of the lower property values directly beneath the levies, the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina were the areas inhabited by the poorest of the city's residents. Many of these residents remain displaced, scattered
throughout the region or living in FEMA trailers. Because of their precarious financial status, it is crucial that the federal government assists them in relocating or in assimilating back into normal life.
This raises the issue of whether the federal government has done enough to prevent another disaster such as the one that unfolded two years ago. While the levies have been repaired and, in some places, reinforced, they have not undergone the extensive reinforcement needed to prevent their breach in the event of a Category 5 hurricane. The federal government must address this issue and ensure that the necessary funds are made available for such an effort. Additionally, there needs to be a broader effort undertaken to rehabilitate the wetlands in the Mississippi Delta in order to lower the water levels of Lake Pontchartrain and help reduce flooding.
It is also troubling to witness the dramatic increase in crime levels currently taking place in New Orleans. Politicians have lately been campaigning on platforms that involve "sending in the National Guard" to restore order and protect residents. The wave of violent crime must be curtailed in order to facilitate the rebuilding of the city's economy, especially with regard to tourism, and civil society. While there has been progress in some respects to this, it is vital that policy-makers and citizens remain concerned with seeing the city through these seemingly unending, trying days.
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