We all now know that Christchurch suffered a massive earthquake on February 22, and many lives were lost.
Those of us who were not there but followed the daily TV reports and newspaper features have seen our Christchurch friends and relatives suffer the shock and despair of personal loss and major disruption.
We too have shed tears on their behalf. We have done what we could – all New Zealanders have dug deep and contributed tens of millions of dollars to the relief funds.
We have been absolutely transfixed by the courageous and painstaking and difficult work by the Search and Rescue teams, who have come from all over New Zealand, as well as from our friends in other countries.
We were in awe of their role in first bravely and expertly searching for survivors whilst masonry tumbled about them, then in the following weeks determinedly seeking the remains of those who did not survive.
But now a month on from that catastrophic event, the sense of immediate disaster has worn thin for even the most patient of Christchurch dwellers. Many are still without water and sewage services, and will not have these for some time because the repair job is huge and time consuming.
Troubled businesses
And many have already lost their jobs, or are about to. Thousands of Christchurch businesses are in trouble and may cease trading.
Although 90% of Christchurch businesses have not laid-off staff so far, supported by Government wage subsidies, these subsidies are to be superseded by the $6.85 million in business support services.
One business owner quoted by the New Zealand Herald was unimpressed: “Sounds like more bureaucrats walking around in flash suits … telling business owners how to suck eggs”. Christchurch businesses, which are simply unable to trade because they do not have access to key business assets may now have to face laying off staff and closing down.
There are about 3500 businesses in the Christchurch CDB alone who have been affected, and hundreds of these are still unable to determine their future as they are unable to enter their premises to recover essential business assets such as plant and equipment, or the computer and paper-based records vital for business continuity.
Potentially that could impact on 10,000 jobs.
The response from Civil Defence and from Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee has been consistent for the last four weeks: It is too dangerous to enter parts of the CBD, and that it will take time to go through the process of allowing access to business owners.
In the meantime, hundreds of business owners with enforced time on their hands are suffering unbearable stress as they see what slim chance they have of recovering their livelihood slip away.
And therein is the crux of the matter.
Emergency Mode
The key focus for Civil Defence, buttressed by national emergency regulations, has been saving lives and preventing physical danger to people.
It does not have a responsibility for saving livelihoods.
By definition, Civil Defence is in emergency mode – first save lives, recover bodies, and then demolish all buildings which might cause danger.
Whilst in emergency mode, there is scant recognition of building owners and occupants’ wants and needs. This is not a customer focused operation – it is a “we know best operation,” and who could argue with that when it comes to decisive action to save lives?
However, if livelihoods are not saved also, the quality of many lives will be diminished forever, and even put at risk.
There is a step being missed out for which Civil Defence has the skills, if it had the mandate. That is to actively engage with the building and business owners of Christchurch CBD and provide a livelihood rescue service to enable the businessmen and women to recover essential assets to enable business to continue and jobs to be retained.
And that should have occurred immediately after the rescue and recovery phase.
Chad Wilkie, Executive Director of Ignition Partner, is Chairman of Judges for the Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards 2011. He is an experienced adviser on shaping businesses for growth, and structuring deals to achieve business growth.
The Earthquake in Christchurch destroyed 3500 businesses in the CBD alone
