http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20040919/focus/focus4.html

Kevin O'Brien Chang

JAMAICA IS a marvel. Does any other country so constantly straddle the line between functioning order and disastrous chaos? Even forces of nature beyond our control regularly contrive to balance our fate on a knife edge and then tip the scales in our favour.

I went to bed on Friday night expecting the worst. The last report from the US National Hurricane Centre said category four 'Ivan' ­ one higher than Gilbert ­ was the most powerful Caribbean storm in over 50 years. The Jamaican Met Office told us 'Ivan' was slowing down and strengthening into a possible category 5 with the eye expected to pass through St. Catherine, Clarendon, Trelawny and St. James.

Time and again we have in the past seen hurricanes just miss Jamaica. But this time there seemed to be no escape from the dreaded worst case scenario ­ a slow moving strengthening storm already packing 150 mph winds heading right down the middle of the island. I worried not only for the personal safety of my loved ones ­ and, yes, my financial solvency ­ but for the future of my country.

RAMPANT LOOTING

'Ivan' passed south of Grenada as a mere category 3 yet destroyed 90 per cent of the houses in the spice island, led to rampant looting and left 50 per cent of the population homeless. What would a direct category 5 hit do to Jamaica?

Our debt ratio and murder rate are already among the world's highest, and the economic upheaval of severe hurricane devastation could only make them much worse. Could our already fragile social and economic fabric survive what was being projected to be our worst national disaster in over half a century?

I awoke the next day grateful that my house had only a few leaks and warily turned on the radio expecting to hear dreadful tales of destruction and tragedy. When the announcer said 'Ivan' had turned south at virtually the last moment and its eye had not made landfall, I could only exclaim in astonishment and gratitude "Bwoy, Jamaica God bless".

It's not that I don't feel sorry for those whose homes were seriously damaged. But had 'Ivan' hit us directly, the thousands bawling for their rooftops might have been weeping over dead family members. I only hope our 'deliverance' will not make people complacent about taking precautions the next time a hurricane threatens us. For there will be a next time.

IMPRESSIVE

All things considered, it was hard not to be impressed by the way our governmental, security and communication structures held up during what was still a harrowing national experience. Our politicians often deserve our curses, yet even BBC observers were impressed by the relatively orderly way in which evacuation orders were sent out and designated shelters were put in place. We routinely malign our security forces, but the JCF and JDF deserve kudos for keeping a potentially explosive scenario under control while putting themselves in constant danger. And though we love to complain about our phone service, no one listening to the radio call-ins from virtually all over the island could help marvelling at the resilience of our telecommunication networks.

Still, it was left to the original owner to keep the nation in touch with itself. The supposedly new and improved company badly let down the side. And countless others like me learnt the hard way that one cellular is not enough and that, as in most things in life, you need a spare. As if, dammit, these phone pirates don't make enough off me each month! (Yes, in true Jamaican style my sense of gratitude is rapidly wearing off. We will all soon be back at our grumbling cantankerous best berating our 'thiefing' politicians, 'useless' policemen and 'rapist' telephone companies).

HIGH PRAISES

Our broadcasting sector, however, deserves unmitigated praise. I've always had great admiration for the Jamaican media. Their level of professionalism is second to none and considering the relative pittances they earn in our very small market compared to what their counterparts in the United States and United Kingdom make, I maintain that pound for pound they are the best in the world. No one who listened to the radio on Friday and Saturday could disagree.

RJR, Hot 102 and Power 106 in particular did themselves proud. Persons like Dionne Jackson-Miller, Michael Pryce and Cliff Hughes could certainly hold their own in any company. The BBC or CNN could not have bettered the job done by all those who went far beyond the call of duty and spent sleepless and often dangerous nights keeping us informed and often reassured. Ladies and gentlemen, give yourselves a hand. And here's hoping ­ and expecting ­ that your employers will give you a far more substantial reward than 'praise without raise'.

ANOTHER SIGN FROM GOD

Still ­ yes, my crankiness is fast returning ­ it was difficult at times to pick up some stations. Only Love came in loud and clear in my area. 'Another sign from God', will respond those who in the days leading up to Ivan responded to disaster warnings with a calm 'The Lord will take care of us'. And indeed scarcely can events have so mirrored hymns like "His Eye is on the Sparrow' and 'In the Eye of The Storm'?

On a certain instinctual level it's hard not to feel that our escape was a sort of minor miracle. Yet, what do these smug platitude spouters have to say about those who have prayed for deliverance from doom and yet not been spared? Were the Jamaicans and Cayman Islanders who died during the hurricane any less devout or prayerful than those who came through unscathed? Why were we saved and not them?

But this is not the time or place for metaphysical debates. After Ivan, can one blame the Jamaicans who will no doubt fill the churches today for singing 'God moves in mysterious ways his wonders to perform'?