Blacks Denounce BP Cutting Hardship Payments

WASHINGTON -- National Black Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Harry Alfordexpressed continued disappointment in BP's handling of hardship payments it promised to Gulf area residents who have been unable to work because of the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

"I'd like to say that I'm surprised, but unfortunately the hits just keep on coming for these hardworking people along the Gulf Coast," Mr. Alford said.  "This truly is an outrage.  Last week we learned that checks were delayed, then BP said they were in the mail, now we're hearing the checks are coming, but they're not very big.  How does this help these struggling families, who would be out working today if it wasn't for the BP rig disaster?  BP owes these families some straight talk and some real action."

Mr. Alford was responding to news accounts that more than 40,000 checks sent to Louisiana residents may be lower than anticipated.  BP blamed paperwork issues submitted by affected workers.

The National Black Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, nonsectarian organization dedicated to the economic empowerment of African American communities.  The goal of the NBCC is to sustain African American communities through entrepreneurship and capitalistic activity within the U.S. and via interaction with the Black Diaspora. The NBCC was incorporated in Washington, D.C. in March 1993, represents 95,000 Black-owned businesses, and provides an advocacy that reaches all 1 million Black owned businesses in the U.S.