During last night's activities at the Republican National Convention, one of the speakers made a poignant observation to the effect that while Hurricane Gustav, didn't turn out to be another Katrina, some people suffered just as terribly as if it had. The speaker was talking about fellow Americans, but owing to what I've been writing about, my thoughts turned to the people of certain Caribbean nations that have been hit in quick succession by at least three significant storms.Yesterday Hurricane Hanna hit the island of Hispaniola, which has already suffered the ravages of Tropical Storm Fay and Hurricane Gustav. Owing in significant measure to the soaking caused by the previous storms, yesterday's floods and mudslides killed 25 people in Haiti. Those losses come after Tropical Storm Fay killed at least 14 people on Hispaniola during the storm, and Hurricane Gustav killed 22. The immediate effects of these storms were by no means representative of the full toll, as exemplified by a bus accident in Haiti caused by flooding that was reported to have killed another 50 people. The storms are likely to affect agricultural production for some time to come and leave many individuals worse off for the foreseeable future, among other infrastructure-related, longer-term effects.

I'm not bothered that these tragedies get less attention in the American media: it's natural for local media to focus on local concerns. It is heartbreaking, nevertheless, to reflect that the inhabitants of Haiti and other Caribbean countries lack many of the capabilities that the United States enjoys both in preparing and responding to major storms. Poor infrastructure and often flimsy dwellings make life worse for Haitians and others during hurricanes, and so does a lack of insurance coverage.

If one were to look at a map of insurance coverage around the world one would see huge gaps in the geography. This is because many people simply can't afford insurance or the risk factors make the proposition of insurance unviable. Insurance is a blessing of material civilization that enables the more fortunate of us to take measures to secure our property and protect our families. However imperfectly the industry performs when it comes to fulfilling its commitments at the time of claims, it nevertheless provides a vital benefit. Those who work in this industry, including those who staff its information systems, should feel some pride in contributing this service that makes our civilization more secure.

Perhaps someone will find this observation banal or overstated, but I insist on the point. There is a tendency, especially during election campaigns, to dwell on what could and perhaps should be better. But we do well also to reflect on the myriad benefits we take for granted and which could easily change for the worse.If one were to look at a map of insurance coverage around the world one would see huge gaps in the geography. This is because many people simply can't afford insurance or the risk factors make the proposition of insurance unviable. Insurance is a blessing of material civilization that enables the more fortunate of us to take measures to secure our property and protect our families.