Bid to relocate Louisiana town runs into difficulties

Washington

THERE was a fight coming and everyone knew it, so the reverend asked his guests to start with a prayer.

"Dear Lord, here we gather to consider ways and means that we might be relocated," began Roch Naquin, who lives in Isle de Jean Charles, Louisiana, a town slipping into the sea and the site of a radical federal policy experiment.

A few dozen residents had gathered on Saturday under Mr Naquin's stilted house to hear state officials describe three locations for the new community, and to choose their favourite.

"Open our hearts and our minds - to hear, to understand and to respond," said Mr Naquin.

"Amen," said the neighbours.

It took about 30 minutes for the shouting to start.

"Why is it going to take so long to buy the land?" demanded one woman. "Will you pull the money?" asked another. "Crooks!" one man said, to nobody in p…