[StBernard] St. Bernard Parish President slams federal response

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Parish President slams federal response 

by WWLTV.com

wwltv.com

Posted on June 28, 2010 at 5:43 PM

Updated yesterday at 6:18 PM 


GRAND ISLE, La. -- An emotional St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro
slammed the federal response to the oil spill saying southeast Louisiana
needs a federal presence and not drive-by photo opportunities.

Speaking at an afternoon press conference with Gov. Bobby Jindal, Taffaro
had to stop twice to gain his composure as he talked about how all of the
leaders of the coastal parishes are working together and have a plan.

Taffaro said that when they have the resources and permission to enact the
plans, they can do great things.

He went on to praise the BP workers and federal workers who are on the
ground fighting the spill, saying many of them leave the area "with tears in
their eyes" as they have seen, lived and breathed the devastation.

Taffaro said the federal officials who have stopped by for "photo ops" need
to get their hands dirty.

"Those individuals making decisions from Washington, D.C. need to be down
here, not just for a photo op, not just for a sound bite, pack their bags
and stay down here until this job is finished," he said.

He decried an attitude that he says is now one of less urgency.

"The well is still pumping thousands and thousands and thousands of barrels
of oil into the Gulf," he emphasized. "We now have taken on the approach
that it's just going to happen."