2/15/07
Gail had pictures of their house which had water up to the second story. Her husband wants to relocate but their 17 year old needed to come back. It is helping him to be back in school here. They're in their late 50s, they left Port Sulpher in their pickup truck with $15,000 left on the loan and one suitcase of clothes. They lost their shrimp boat, crab boat and nets. Their assets preKatrina were -$17,000.
Gail said in Port Sulpher water went up to bell tower of the Catholic church and people held onto the rope for survival. The area was closed off for weeks, people were let back in by boat initially. Some boats were abandoned on their property and the husband was recently arrested for having stolen property. A year and a half later they have no income, no loans and their remaining boat is in worse shape having been vandalized where it was stored. The yard gave notice that it will now charge $500 to keep boats. It was eight months before they got their FEMA trailer. They stayed in one room with their son-in-law during that time. They weren't making ends meet before the hurricane and now they have done all the paperwork possible but have nothing to look forward to.
She describes the 6 million gallon oil spill and the pollution. There was a tidal surge and then more rain flushing it all out into the gulf. They applied for both personal and business loans from SBA but have been turned down due to inability to repay.
They say their Parish (local governemnt)isn't helping them and that's the way it is in Louisianna. They want to rebuild but to get a building permeit you need $4-5,000 for plans to withstand high winds. People aren't being allowed to rebuild here. They see price gouging. The cost of driving their son to school is high. They think the government wants the families out leaving the oil companies and the sports fishermen. They told me of a meeting tonight at the high school to hear comments from the residents. They want you to know that they don't see any of the money people gave for Katrina Relief.
Namaste.
