Memorial services included a moment of silence to mark the time that the hurricane unleashed fury on the Gulf Coast, the ringing of a ceremonial bell to mark the moment the first levee broke and the laying of wreaths at the locations of breaches in each of the levees that were meant to protect the city from flooding, according to broadcast images.
Those levees failed, nearly 80 per cent of New Orleans stood underwater after the storm, and the half-empty city is still struggling to get back on its feet.
A human rights group on Tuesday charged that government neglect of the residents in their hour of need amounted to a human rights violation.
In a speech at a New Orleans high school, Bush accepted the mantle of responsibility for the lagging government help and vowed that his administration will keep its promises to help the Gulf Coast rebuild.
'Unfortunately, the hurricane also brought terrible scenes that we never thought we would see in America,' Bush said. 'I take full responsibility for the federal government's response.'
All levels of government failed when responding to the storm and its aftermath, but have learned from their mistakes, Bush added.
As if to accentuate the point, Bush sent his Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff to Florida on Tuesday to oversee preparations for a much weaker storm than Katrina - Tropical Storm Ernesto, expected to hit the state by late Tuesday and Wednesday.
A year ago, Bush dismissed any possibility that New Orleans' flood dikes would break despite warnings from Max Mayfield, the head of the US National Hurricane Centre, and it took days after the inundation for top federal officials and disaster relief workers to make their way to Louisiana.
Bush's approval ratings slumped drastically afterwards, further depressed by worry over the war in Iraq, and have hovered in the high 30 to low 40 per cent range all year long.
One year after the hurricane, images of residents stranded on the roofs of their homes as flood waters approached and of throngs of people in a shelter without food or water remain seared onto the public memory.
The president's critics, including Democratic members of Congress, charge that the rebuilding progress has been painfully slow.
The American Civil Liberties Union charged Tuesday that the government's inability to respond quickly and the suffering of the region's poor, black residents have further damaged the country's human rights record.
'As horrific as the devastation of Hurricane Katrina was, it was the government's indifference to the suffering of the poor and people of colour that truly shocked our nation and the world,' ACLU executive director Anthony D. Romero, said in a statement.
'There is no question that the administration's response to Katrina, added to its other abuses of power, has further diminished America's reputation as a beacon of freedom.'
In his speech, Bush cited progress in rebuilding the city's levee system, which was designed to protect it from floods but failed in the wake of the storm flooding 80 per cent of the city. By 2010 the levee system should be stronger than ever,he said.
'We're better prepared,' Bush said. 'If another hurricane comes there will be a better more effective response.'
He also said the removal of debris must be completed and new homes and schools built before the city can be revived.
New Orleans has 'always been a city of second chances,' Bush said, noting the many disasters the city has over come in its past. 'Every time New Orleans came back louder, brasher and better.'
Bush's visit is the 13th to the storm-ravaged region of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama since the hurricane struck on August 29, 2005. He spent the day attending a memorial service and meeting with local officials.
© 2003 - 2006 by Monsters and Critics.com, WotR Ltd. All Rights Reserved. All photos are copyright their respective owners and are used under license or with permission. * Note M&C cannot be held responsible for the content on other Web Sites.
Arts - Books - DVD - Forums - Home - Movies - Music - People & Celebrity - Science - Soundtracks - Sport - Tech - TV - World News
About Us - The Team - Advertise - Contact - Join the Team - Privacy - RSS Feeds - Site Map - Terms & Conditions - Webmasters
Servers supplied by Servint
