Hurricane Katrina Essay Example for Free

Hurricane Katrina Essay Whenever natural calamities occur they leave people terrifies, traumatized and to some the shock is just too much too handle. For the people who are not affected by the calamity the least one can do is to offer assistance of any kind to victims of the calamity. It is thus becomes inhuman when a person takes advantage of resources and money reserved for people who have been befallen by a calamity to benefit their self interests. When Hurricane Katrina struck millions of people lost their lives and hundreds of million others were displaced. It has been more than four years since this calamity struck. Despite the many years that have passed the effects of this hurricane is still being felt till today. Amazingly though, while some people are still grieving for the losses suffered from this calamity, some people on the other side have been taking advantage of the money raised and resources put together to help the victims of the storm. This essay looks at some of the scandals that have been unearthed since this hurricane struck (Adam. 2009). When hurricane Katrina struck Americans came out in large numbers to contribute for the victims of this calamity. At least $1. 85 billion was given as charity and this came from contributions of good Samaritans all over America. Months after these contributions were made and passed to the assumingly right channels it is now coming a shock to many a people that the money has in fact never found its way to the right place let alone benefit the victims of hurricane Katrina. There are many scandals surrounding the money that was intended the victims of the storm. Massive rip offs of money that was meant to help the helpless (Hakeem. 2006). One of the major scandals involving the money that was contributed for the survivors of this tragedy is one that involves stealing money from the Red Cross International center that was established shortly after the hurricane struck. This center was established in an attempt to aid victims of the storm by providing them with a form of identification which the victims would then use to claim some money. However this center, though established through a Red Cross initiative the whole process was delegated to another company which was expected to wok out all modalities on behalf of Red Cross. The employees of this agent company however looked at the whole process and found some loopholes through which they could somehow take advantage of this money and channel elsewhere to benefit individuals who had not been affected by hurricane Katrina and consequently living the victims of hurricane Katrina in the cold without money and a place to call home (Hakeem. 2006). Investigations carried out reveal that the employees of this agent company that was carrying out the rescue process on behalf of Red Cross called all their friends and acquaintances and gave them the funds that were originally meant to benefit the victims of the storm. Simply put, the form of identification that was meant to be given to victims of hurricane Katrina were given to people who had not in any way been affected by the storm and consequently these people got money that was meant for these victims. It was outright fraud (Adam. 2009). As investigations continue this issue continues to puzzle and draw more questions than answers. It is not yet clear how this happened without any person noticing it. Or is it that those who were expected to keep an eye and watch are the ones who were busy enriching themselves? How could such a delicate matter be handled so casually? Did Red Cross ever suspect any backstabbing by the companies it had outsourced this work to? According to U. S Attorney McGregor Scott, when the hurricane struck the number of casualties were way to many for this non governmental organization to handle. Thus in the circumstances they were not left with much of a choice but to look for help beyond their boundaries and outsourcing seemed the best of all the available options. Pressure was quickly mounting on Red Cross not to sit on the money that had been raised to help the victims but instead move expeditiously to ensure that the money had been distributed to the victims. As a result of this pressure there was not much time for Red Cross to establish protocols of good faith with the companies that had been given the contacts to give the money to the survivors. This was the biggest loophole (Robert. 2009). It has always been an issue because Americans are complaining of the money that they contributed to help the victims. It is now a big scandal and Red Cross is having trouble going around this whole situation. With the massive suffering that hurricane Katrina caused people are alarmed at these scandals. It is unbelievable just how far the brutality of human beings can go. References Adam. K. (2009). New Orleans, New York: Lonely Planet. Hakeem. et al, (2006). Absurdities, Scandals Stupidities in Politics, New York: Lulu. com. Robert. et al, (2009). Race, Place, and Environmental Justice After Hurricane Katrina: Struggles to Reclaim, Rebuild, and Revitalize New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, New York: Westview Press. .