Posted on 09/13/2005 2:17:25 PM PDT by grundle
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050913/ts_nm/katrina_dead_dc_1;_ylt=A86.I0bIOidDI0EAAAEbLisB;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl
Slowness of recovery of Katrina dead criticized
September 13, 2005
BATON ROUGE (Reuters) - Louisiana's governor condemned the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday for moving too slowly to recover the dead from New Orleans and said she has signed a contract directly on behalf of the state with the recovery company originally hired by FEMA.
"I have taken action today to resolve a matter that involves life, death and dignity," Kathleen Blanco told reporters and said she had expressed her "absolute frustration" with the pace of the recovery to federal authorities but to no avail.
"I cannot stand by while this vital operation is not being handled appropriately," she said.
Authorities have confirmed 279 deaths in Louisiana since Hurricane Katrina hit two weeks ago, though fears have begun to abate that New Orleans alone could hold 10,000 dead or more beneath its flood waters.
Blanco said she has signed a contract with Kenyon International Emergency Services after the company threatened to pull out of the state because it had not yet signed a formal contract with FEMA.
Asked about the issue, FEMA spokesman David Passey said: "From what I understand, Kenyon had some questions about the contract."
He said from the beginning FEMA had expected Louisiana to take the lead in the collection of bodies and FEMA was satisfied that the state had signed a contract with the company.
"I don't know the exact nature of the contract concerns. We made our best effort to engage Kenyon in a contract," he said. The fact that the state had signed a contract with Kenyon would allow federal mortuary teams to "get on with what they do best," the identification of the dead.
Blanco said FEMA's failure to sign a contract with Kenyon had slowed the entire recovery process. She spoke ahead of a meeting with a group of the state's elected officials, including the secretary of state and attorney general.
"The failure to execute a contract for recovery of our citizens has slowed the recovery operations," she said. "We are at the epicenter of a natural disaster of global proportions."
The governor did not give details of the financial arrangements of the state's contract with Kenyon, and spokespeople for the company could not immediately comment.
Kenyon, a division of Service Corp. International, said on September 7 it had been hired by FEMA for recovery services.
FEMA has become the target of strong criticism of the Bush administration's handling of the hurricane, which struck the U.S. Gulf coast two weeks ago, killing hundreds and displacing 1 million people in the nation's worst natural disaster.
FEMA director Michael Brown, whose work was initially praised by President George W. Bush, resigned on Monday.
Bush himself took responsibility on Tuesday for failures in the federal response to Hurricane Katrina and acknowledged the storm exposed serious deficiencies at all levels of government four years after the September 11 attacks.
I wonder how many people recovered their own dead in order to keep the direct deposit checks flowing?
If the government never finds out X is dead, then the other family can continue to collect the check.
I bet there will be a longevity explosion in NO.
See #13.
They are waiting for bus transportation.
Knowing Louisiana politics, I wonder how much of a kickback Blanco is in line to receive.
Which FEMA, local, state, or federal?
Way to go Bush! Take the blame and let them kick you when you're down. WTF!
B!itch Blanco you should be in prison. Mayor Nagan you should be in prison. To hell with you!
15 posts and no one has said it.
This ignorant beatch has more gonads than the entire Republican party!!
SHE, of ALL people, has the unmitigated gall to "condemn" anyone of anything?
The vital operation was evacuating the area. As someone else said, the dead aren't going anywhere.
This is nuts ... and BS.
FEMA spokesman David Passey : "He said from the beginning FEMA had expected Louisiana to take the lead in the collection of bodies and FEMA was satisfied that the state had signed a contract with the company."
So, here we go again. FEMA says it was the states duty to remove the bodies, and the Gov. said it was FEMA`s responsibility.
So is the Gov. tryng to cover her backside for not getting this contract done, or is FEMA lying about its duties?
Blanco deserves to be prosecuted. She drops down off the rafter she hangs from, summons the adoring but accursed mediots and makes absolutely ludicrous claims.
The raving lunatic and her beyotch, Nagin, are the reason there are so many dead in the first place.
gggggrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
No sh!t! Wait till the city drains dumb jerk beatch!
It's obvious why she delayed in calling Bush back now. She was planning to play politics with him from the begining. I know that's not news to most of you on here. But instead of just assuming this, it pretty much confirms it to me.
Who the hell has the nerve to crticize after being the main reason people starved and died at Thunderdome? She's main reason people died! She stalled! What's one or two more days the dead have to wait? They don't care! Are you eager to find the dead so you can assign their identities to some illegal?
Her next campaign platform will be crucifying PRESIDENT Bush and she will win by a landslide.
Blanco deserves to be prosecuted
*snicker* Amen.
The good news is that there aren't as many as expected. Maybe that rankles the 'guv.' What a bunch of guff. Where was her magic want when it was needed? She expects everyone else to have one.
oh come on. Common sense has nothing to do with this woman's logic! sheesh.
um, I mentioned it in post #5, but it might have been too subtle..... Yours is better.
I think they ought to allow Ben & Jerries to do the body removal. I also think they should bid on the same jobs that Halliburton is getting. That ought to shut 'em up.
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