Storm watch: Sheraton Mall a hive of activity

By Lashawna Griffith

Sheraton Mall was swarmed by shoppers making last-minute buys as a nationwide shutdown loomed and it became apparent that Barbadians should take Tropical Storm Dorian more seriously.

Barbados TODAY visited the mall ahead of the national shutdown which has been brought forward from 12 midday to 10 a.m.

At Do It Best hardware store, Kabelo said he only sought to buy coolant for his vehicle as he had made all of the necessary preparations to his home.

Another Do It Best shopper said: “I think Bajans should take preparations more seriously.

“I got some extra batteries, but I already have my supplies at home. I have my water and everything.”

A female resident of Christ Church told Barbados TODAY her water supply was off from yesterday, so she was unable to catch water.

She said: “I came to get bottled water and that is it. I do not have hurricane shutters, but I am hoping for the best.”

Owner of Maxwell Motors Kirk Desce said he decided to be proactive and travel to the hardware store to obtain some window latches.

He said: “I needed to get them ever since but seeing that we are going to have some high winds and so on I decided to come out and get them now.

“I would say I am ninety-five percent prepared I only have to go home and put away a couple patio furniture and I think that is about it so I am fully prepared.”

Sargeant Village resident Maria Clarke was with her seven-year-old daughter Alalya Clarke at Sheraton.

She told Barbados TODAY: “I am just buying some foodstuff and getting some snacks and drinks for my little girl.

“You know when the storm comes she is going to be ‘peckish’.

“I have my water already and it is just the batteries I have to get now.”

Clarke explained she showed her daughter what a storm is like and how she should prepare for it.

Kicks, an elderly man who resides in St Phillip,  said that he is hoping for the best.

He said: “If you buy all the biscuits, corned beef and sardine and the housetop blow off then you still ain’t got nothing.”

Public Relations Officer in the Ministry of Youth and Community Empowerment Wanda Reid-Beckles said she came to Sheraton to pay her utility bills but found the facilities closed.

She said: “Cave Shepherd is closed, Flow system is down in terms of bill payments so that is a little frustrating knowing that they said we would close at 10 a.m. and we came to close those things that were outstanding but we cannot.”

The manager at Imart, Everton Leacock said patrons were coming in for foodstuff and to have their prescriptions filled by the pharmacy.

As he was speaking to Barbados TODAY the line to the pharmacy snaked outside of the store and was lengthening rapidly.

 

Leacock said: “Persons are coming in for foodstuff; some persons are coming in for medications from the dispensary and some persons are buying top-ups for their phones as well.

“We have the staff welfare as our main concern so we are closing like 10 a.m. like everyone else and management would try to ensure that everyone makes it home safely.”