Dear Editor,
From international reports, it would seem that the powers that be are now awakening to the fact that global warming is a threat to every person in every country.
The threat may range from inconvenience in meeting travel or transportation commitments, increased incidence of certain diseases through many different changed temperature zones, exposing residents to insect attack from insects new to the area, but which are at home in the changed temperature, flooding and inundation of whole communities and death by drowning for many who may have ignored the warnings.
The comparatively few persons whose investments and financial power may have set them apart from the economic drudgery that faces the majority of mankind – persons who have been enjoying luxurious living conditions unconcerned about the im- poverished conditions existing in large areas of the earth’s surface are only now beginning to respond to the threat of global warming. Adding to our concerns scientific research information is now revealing both past and future probable configurations of the earth’s surface and their climatic possibilities.
An international report on the situation soon to be released proposes to deal in one section, with the problems citizens in low-lying areas are likely to face. While we understand that a local committee has been officially appointed this, one imagines, would have been one of the first concerns of the various official committees monitoring global warming but in the capitalist system of political economy in which we make our living such imaginings have no place.
In the circumstances, Guy-anese residing on our threatened coastlands should ideally at least start preparing for relocation to higher, safer terrain.
Yours faithfully,
RW Westmaas
