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Howard's Way.... a weekly column from the Rt. Hon. Michael Howard QC. MP. 

15 May 2008

Last Friday I had the privilege of opening the latest phase of the Dymchurch Sea Defences – the section extending from High Knocke to the Dymchurch Redoubt.

The work started in 2005 and has been completed ahead of schedule at a cost of £31 million. It has been constructed to a standard that takes into account sea level rise and climate change over the next 100 years.

Locally it improves the protection provided to 2471 residential properties, 927 caravans, 3 holiday camps, 7672 hectares of agricultural land, 113 hectares of the Romney Marsh Site of Special Scientific Interest and the A259 road. Altogether it will help to reduce the flood risk to over 14,500 homes.

I was particularly pleased to be present at the event. In my early years as Member of Parliament for this constituency I attended countless meetings on the Marsh at which doubts were raised over the adequacy of the sea defences. So it is especially satisfying as I approach the end of my period of office to see this work carried out.

But any such satisfaction was tempered by the contrast between the action we are taking to put in place the proper protection against natural disasters such as flooding and the action of the Burmese government in the face of the devastating consequences of the cyclone which has caused such damage and suffering to that poor and isolated land.

It beggars belief that this junta of generals should block the efforts of the international community to bring help to the victims of this disaster – and even more incredible that they should proceed with a constitutional referendum at a time like this.

I hope that pressure from the international community will lead to a change of heart – preferably before you read this. It can’t come soon enough.