This post is quite possibly going to be a tad controversial but I just have to get this off my chest. I am getting rather annoyed, putting it mildly, at the residents of Christchurch that are crying foul because they are not being fully compensated for their loss due to the earthquake.
OK, before you get uppity, the main point here is that for the vast bulk of these complainers their loss pails into insignificance compared to those that have lost their loved ones, their limbs, their health and their future.
Let’s look for a moment outside of NZ and look at the devastation that recent disasters around the world have created. I’m talking about disasters like the Haiti earthquake, hurricane Katrina, the Sendai earthquake and tsunami and so on. In all of these cases the destruction and loss was monumentally higher than what we have had here in Christchurch. But here’s the thing, the people and communities in these parts of the world (many of whom lost absolutely EVERYTHING) have been a real inspiration in the way they have picked themselves up and worked out a way to move forward. If you don’t believe me take a look at the work that Architecture for Humanity is doing and how they have worked with the most underprivileged people to make new homes and lives from nothing.
I am not at all trying to undermine the impact that the quake has had on the people of Christchurch and yes there are many of these people that will be in much worst positions than they were in before. But for these people to expect their financial situation to be 100% what it was before the quake is simply too much to ask in my opinion.
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