Mark Wignall | Playing with us?

We know that a main factor of politics is psychological manipulation of people politicians claim they love the most. And, also remember, during the moments of our darkest sorrows, they share with us and feel our pain. They rely on our believing in them.

So, most sensible people know that they are under the microscope as lab rats but, they would hope that the display be controlled and we are not exposed as pawns.

After the passage of Hurricane Melissa and during the present horrors associated with it in Jamaica, it was good to know that our CARICOM neighbours cared and were prepared to support us in building back.

But, let us also accept that politicians, especially the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) who we recently empowered to take us over the rocky hill, cannot live without constant doses of PR, even when faced with the nightmare realities of Melissa.

Recently, CARICOM leaders came to show support and empathy. As I said, that is fine but let us not lay it on too thick. All the glowing videos and PR of the arrival and visit by the CARICOM leaders to the Melissa-ravaged areas were not needed.

I am not trying to nitpick here and be like a petchary in Dr Holness’ back. It is now about three weeks since Melissa ravaged the western end of Jamaica. People are hungry, hurting, scared, lost, feeling forsaken, and those in authority think that glowing videos of the CARICOM leaders’ arrival and the grand security presence and police escort need to be featured and put on social media and be shown to the public.

Those who are suffering, starving, have no roof over their heads and are struggling mightily to survive have no space in their systems to be impressed by this. To be sure, the Melissa aftermath was always going to be problematic for the JLP and its administration. It was always going to be ‘any whey yu go macka juck yu’. The PM’s mettle would be tested to the absolute maximum.

Do the people in Manchester, Westmoreland, St Elizabeth, Hanover, St James, Trelawny care who came from CARICOM? No, they are turning around and around to get enough drinking water, food to eat, temporary housing and just survive. At no stage was Melissa a PR event; certainly not when it was sucking the very lives out of the victims, ripping apart their houses and tearing their lives apart. A few flights by helicopter would have sufficed.

ENGINEER’S PERSPECTIVE ON ROOFS

Last Thursday, I called Dr Ellis from the Jamaica Institute of Engineers. It is more than unusual that I come across a Jamaican engineer with so many professional qualifications and academic degrees and yet one gets the impression that Ellis would be the type eager to mount a ladder, hammer attached, a pocket filled with hurricane straps, nails, washers and screws and hop onto a roof if the need arises.

I had a question for the engineer: “Assuming that funding was not unlimited, is there a type of roof, not concrete slab, that can be constructed to withstand category 5 winds with gusts of 200 mph?”

Dr Ellis gave me a yes but with a set of caveats. “Most Jamaicans use corrugated steel; what we know as zinc sheets. We would have to start off with choosing the correct gauge. One gauge is ideal only for fencing. We have to know that. Then we have to have in place the correct size laths. Then we have to position those a certain distance apart. Then, to keep the whole thing together, we would utilise screws, washers or twisted nails.”

The last caveat was the most important. “Lets assume that one contractor quotes $500,000 to do the roof. Another one quotes $350,000. The householder may believe that he is saving $150,000 if he chooses the cheaper one. But, human nature is going to creep in. The cheaper one wants to make money just like the other. The householder doesn’t know much about construction, how to basically ensure that the spacing of the laths is, say, 2ft instead of 3ft, nails instead of screws and washers are used. It may take just the next cat 2 and not necessarily cat 5 to show up those mistakes.”

SHORTCUTS IN THE RUSH

Dr Ellis pointed out that rain is a big factor after the hurricane leaves. “Dr Ellis, will not the rush to build be given more importance than the quality of the roof repair?”

“Very important point. A man may say I have my wife and kids, I have a duty to protect them, to keep them covered. Many single women will have the same focus, cover. So you have two factors fighting against each other.

“Prior to Hurricane Gilbert, hurricane straps were an unknown. The post-Gilbert generation learned about them and the importance of sticking to the basic rules. In the post-Melissa generation, we cannot simply assume that householders know what are the correct codes. We cannot assume that they will choose contractors based mostly on quotes instead of competence and honesty.

“Jamaica is still in the oral tradition of communication and, again, assumptions based on printed materials from the collective building agencies used as learning tools may not work as well as the government wants it to. This is where social media can be at its best.”

Hurricane Gilbert rendered my roof a total loss in 1988. I was lucky. The house was insured and the Average Clause was not being invoked. As container homes for the most immediate solutions are being considered, the government knows that the majority of damaged roofs were not attached to insurance policies.

Immediate cash needs will have to cover insurance premiums and the cost of roof replacement. In a pos- Melissa period, most insurance companies will not be happy to embrace householders unless they can pony up the huge recalculated premiums that the actuaries will have presented to the boardrooms for 2026.

Householders will see the easiest choice facing them. Seek out ready-cash funding agencies for roof repairs, leave the deed with them, and take a chance that the next maelstrom will be in another 37 years.

Mark Wignall is a political and public affairs analyst. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and mawigsr@gmail.com