The inclement weather experienced on Monday exacted a heavy toll of the residents of several communities as they were forced to deal with the consequences normally expected from hurricanes and for which they have the opportunity to prepare. Monday’s deluge came without any warning from the government’s meteorological office or from NEMA. It is inexcusable that a weather event of this nature could have simple appeared out of the blue without any opportunity for people to be told up to the evening news time on Monday to expect severe weather. In these modern times severe weather can be forecast often well in advance.
The people in Old Road, St. Pauls, Basseterre and other communities were sweeping out mud and other debris on Tuesday in sweltering heat without even a cold drink because electricity, among other services, was off for nearly 24 hours. In Old Road in particular residents were covered in up to four feet of mud, silt, stones and other debris. Station Street, an area well known to be a waterway whenever there is heavy rain, became a swift running river soiling homes and businesses from the hillside above the road.
It was poor physical policy planning that left a hillside vulnerable to mudslides exposed without any vegetative cover. The situation on Old Road bay was also unacceptable. This Labour Administration has wasted hundreds of millions of dollars on silly projects that have accrued no benefit to this country such as La Valle but has no money for major capital projects that are desperately needed like reinforcing Old Road Bay.
The situation on Monday gave us a window into the future should a hurricane strike these islands and exposed the pathetic sham of its working. On Monday night the infrastructure virtually collapsed; electricity, communications, waterway management, nothing was working. I pray that we are spared the worst because it’s obvious that we would have to make to without modern conveniences for a ridiculously long time. Hurricane VAT will be bad enough.
