Bush warns against looting

WASHINGTON – US President George W.Bush said yesterday looters plundering stores in New Orleans and elsewhere in the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina should be treated with “zero tolerance” and warned petrol sellers against price gouging.

In an interview on ABC’s ‘Good Morning America’, Bush drew no line between those looting stores for survival supplies like food and water and those stealing television sets that are of no use with electricity out in New Orleans. “I think there ought to be zero tolerance of people breaking the law during an emergency such as this, whether it be looting, or price-gouging at the gasoline pump or taking advantage of charitable giving, or insurance fraud,” Bush said in an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”Looting has run rampant in New Orleans as stranded victims of Hurricane Katrina await emergency assistance.”If people need water and food, we’re going to do everything we can to get them water and food.But it’s very important for the citizens in all affected areas to take personal responsibility and assume kind of a civic sense of responsibility so the situation doesn’t get out of hand, so people don’t exploit the vulnerable,” Bush said.Elsewhere around the country, fuel sellers have been fast to raise prices in the wake of the storm.Prices have risen to more than than US$3 a gallon and in some places far higher because of a sudden drop in oil supplies.- Nampa-Reuters”I think there ought to be zero tolerance of people breaking the law during an emergency such as this, whether it be looting, or price-gouging at the gasoline pump or taking advantage of charitable giving, or insurance fraud,” Bush said in an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”Looting has run rampant in New Orleans as stranded victims of Hurricane Katrina await emergency assistance.”If people need water and food, we’re going to do everything we can to get them water and food.But it’s very important for the citizens in all affected areas to take personal responsibility and assume kind of a civic sense of responsibility so the situation doesn’t get out of hand, so people don’t exploit the vulnerable,” Bush said.Elsewhere around the country, fuel sellers have been fast to raise prices in the wake of the storm.Prices have risen to more than than US$3 a gallon and in some places far higher because of a sudden drop in oil supplies.- Nampa-Reuters