Who should Rebuild NO?

On the news today, I heard about the efforts to rebuild NO. It seems that about 80 percent of the rebuilding workforce is Latino and according to the frist article that I posted the contractors have adopted a "don't tell, don't ask" type hiring system when it comes to legal and illegal immigrants. There are also contractors only hiring black residents for the job. Either way, there is much money to be had. With the average worker making $200-300 a day and bilingual brokers making even more.

The feelings on this is mixed. I think people who actually lived there should play a major part in the rebuilding. After all, it is there home and it would give them a chance to earn money. Others seems to just want the job done and those might be on the ones who have the "don't ask, don't tell" hiring process.

Here's the articles:
Immigrants Rush to New Orleans as Contractors Fight for Workers
USHCC Deplores Remarks by New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin Regarding Mexican Workers and the Rebuilding of New Orleans
Who's Rebuilding New Orleans

$200-$300 dollars a day?! Where do I sign up?

What's the current situation with the e-coli and other disease breakouts throughout NO? If there is still a high risk factor affecting the area then I guess the workers deserve this amount of pay. If not, who the hell is paying for it?

It's interesting how New Orleans was hit twice this year by two separate hurricanes. Given this (and the fact the levees are being built to the same strength as before) don't you think that if there's not more work done this year then certainly next?
Though it might be an admission of climate change, I still think if this area (which was in decline before Katrina was re-built further back, if not prevented from being rebuilt at all). Trouble is that would be radical, and quite unpopular.
But I still think it’s in the wrong place.

Nice Idea.............but, finding out who is experienced, then qualified, also willing and able to relocate into a 'frontier' situation is a series of employment criteria the contractors have to cull thru...
and giving preferential hiring to former residents would unnecessarily
clog the system with another layer of bureaucracy. Ergo; not-so-good idea.

There was a massive project in the USA called the Alaskan Oil Pipeline
...qualified, experienced, independent contractor-individuals, all headed NW to the adventure & the $$$.

Then, in the wake of the manpower & $$ that the Oil-Pipeline generated...
..there were are whole lot of services & supporting businesses created to satisify the needs of the people constructing the Pipeline

maybe some of those enterprising former NOLA residents could apply for the abundant SmallBusinessAdministration (SBA) Loans....
and start that service or business in that NOLA project.

Wouldnt it be good, if some spirited black person came along and turned this disaster site into a Large prosporous city for african americans,
In a world where a blackman is becoming the best in his field, you only have to look at SPORTS & Entertainment to see this, when a coloured man does something he has his heart on, he really performs..

could be another luther'king come out of this city,

And the rest of the colored people are being left out right? Just for African Americans only right that enjoys the prosperity? Sounds like reverse discrimination......

I agree with the idea of ‘those that lived there’ should be a major part of rebuilding No and affected surrounding parishes. It is there home….

Yes, and a chance to earn money; however my view on this topic is that most, and I mean most, who have not ‘found’ a job by now are the ones that will not and do not seek employment.

A CCC or WPA type program revamped (by the feds or states) to move these displaced person’s ‘back’ and provide the necessary support to put the people so as to enable them to work earning what now is simply ‘given’. This would aid the overall situation both for the stressed municipalities that have taken these persons ‘in’ and increase the earning potential for those on the welfare sheets to get them ‘out’ into a productive situation.

Without a forceful constructive intervention, I have no doubt (good or bad) New Orleans will become 'Ciudad de Nuevo Orleans'. Which relates to another topic altogether.


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hay i am white and i tryed to apply for the job to rebuild with a contractor or something about 2 months ago. They told me that i did not require a job.

well it turns out that i do because i am not getting any FEMA help and i only made 30,000 before the storm. I have ran out of money and i have 2 kids.

Sorry to hear that Waterlogged, but everyone knows that its only racist if it is against minorities. ( Thats extreme sarcasm by the way ) It really makes me sick to hear this, I think its great that the people who lost their homes get to help rebuild the community and make money, but its wrong to stop people from doing the job, simply because they are not a minority. Hope things work out for you Waterlogged, and the many other people with the same problem your going through.

[edit on 10-1-2006 by Caseysmind]

This is good stuff. I am white , I live in CA i have bought 3 homes in NO. to house the workers i have . Here is the real scoop. there are little to no people there , they all moved away. there are more jobs there than people . you can make 500 a day taking photos for banks.. don't ask how. it is my gig. I have 14 people from NO working for my all black, so i am not a racist. they need workers unskilled get 200 + a day. The big problem there is no place to live. no power,water, toilets gas for heat. where do you live? well this is why the people that lived there will not be returning. rent has moved up from 300 to 1400. a month. and every home is going up in value because the contractors need them for workers. NO will never be a slum for welfare people again. there are few places for them and the rent will not go down. there is enough work here for 3 to 5 years just to get things clean. not rebuilding. best thing to happen to NO but sucks for Texas.
the jobs are offered to the people who lived here but most don't want to work.. figure that out?

You said it sports and singing, what else. Oh by the way did you know Murders when down in New Orleans and went up in Houston. Yes I agree they do become the best in thier fields