It's revealing that the money set aside to assist the dispossessed families from the burnt out block of flats in
London is 5 million pounds which is equivalent to the purchase price for "one" of those flats not a mile away.
It sort of lends perspective in this land of democratic equality regarding the gulf which has been allowed to grow
between the rich and
the poor. Dalits (untouchables) in the land that fostered the Mother of
all Parliaments, where representation was meant to prevent exploitation,
where the rule of law and the regulations
which are bound up in legislation, can be exploited for profit. Where
the regulations which we all had faith in are but an uncomfortable
impediment to a section of our community. Regulations which are now
called "guide lines" by the planners, guide lines to circumvent when it suites the powerful lobby who make decisions on our behalf.
Lives in the Favelas of Brazil or in the shacks lining the road in the Cape have a different value to those in the high
rise apartments in
Rio or the manicured homes in Rondebosch and in any society where the
disparity of wealth is so acute. Wealth brings a blindness as people
enclose themselves in a consumption cycle, buying
and displaying, like so many peacocks, oblivious of everything around them other than their next possession.
The Dalits in Grenfell
Tower lived their lives coming and going some acutely aware of the
failings in the safety arrangements in the flats. Writing of their fears
they posted their detailed document to the Council
and to the Housing body which had been set up to act as a buffer between the Council and the Dalits.
Years, generations, of prejudice form like a callus over the unreality of the way some people live their lives. In the
council offices they
are aware of the priorities set from on high and with HR cutting back,
the man or woman sitting at their desk doesn't want to become embroiled in the nitty gritty of making a case for the
Dalits and potentially endangering their job.
And so we have the
unsightly picture of the Prime Minister playing catch up, first in her
misjudgement of only being seen to speak to the leaders of the rescue services and not the tenants and then being upstaged
by the 'Queen of all
people' who mingled quite informally with the people who had lost
everything and were being housed in a hall nearby. Eventually the
'Vicars Daughter' remembered her fathers sermons and
came out, in her prickly, stiff way to visit the injured in hospital.
At least she got in to
see them. The hospitals have barricaded themselves behind regulations
not allowing a search for the missing as a father or mother wait for information to know if their son or daughter is
being treated in that particular hospital.
The inhumanity of privileged information and the rights of confidentiality are laid out like a bear trap preventing
the near hysterical,
grieving relative from clarifying whether someone is there being
treated or not. This is no time to talk of 'patient confidentiality',
there are dozens if not hundreds of dead charred
bodies awaiting discovery why not at least release the information of those who made it out.
Of course if you are Dalit you know to stay in line. You can't expect much help from the politicians who have
passed the buck for years on safety in the high rise blocks.
The professionals such as the Fire Chief who should have been proactive with the Council and with Government as
to the potential
failings of fire protection. The Architect and the Structural Engineers,
the Contractor who was "allowed" to choose the less fire retardant cladding on the basis of cost. So many people scurrying
around looking for cover.
Only the Dalits will
pay, as they always do. They are immune to justice since being so far
down the chain no one of influence cares, except perhaps this time, the
wrong done against them is so great that "the
people" won't let matters rest and perhaps we will see heads role this time, tall heads not low hanging fruit.
Building regulations
which are such an inconvenience to that powerful lobby the Building
Contractor, who time and again take short cuts, with the connivance of
the politician who wants as always the most from
the least and being a chancer at heart is prepared to prevaricate when things that need doing are deemed expensive.
The Dalits are after all, expendable.
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