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Govt set to handle Gonzalo fallout – Abrahams

by Barbados Today
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The whole of Government is fully prepared for any fallout from Tropical Storm Gonzalo, Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams said Thursday, as the cyclone threatens to pass dangerously close to the island on an uncertain track – possibly as a hurricane.

On his first day as Minister for Home Affairs, Abrahams’ assessment came as he completed a series of meetings with security forces, key civil servants and major utility companies to “fine tune preparations and make last minute adjustments”.

Abrahams told reporters: “The Police Force is ready, the BDF is ready and all organizations and organs of government are ready. We have done an assessment of the fuel supplies and completed the pre-deployment of assets for clearing the roads and restoring utility services.

“This has been clearly mapped out, and all of the plans for food distribution, securing of water supplies for communities, hauling out watercraft, and the use of network drones to assess damages after the system. All of these things have been put in place.”

Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams (right) and acting Director of the Barbados Meteorological Services Sabu Best.

All but one of the country’s 50 major watercourses have been cleared, said Abrahams whose previous portfolio was Water Resources.

The Barbados Water Authority’s pumping capacity has been boosted with 14 generators, and over 100 community tanks will be filled to capacity, and water reserves at the country’s main hospital have been boosted, according to the Home Affairs Minister.

During the media briefing, acting Director of the Barbados Meteorological Services (BMS) Sabu Best stressed that although dry conditions have been weakening Tropical Storm Gonzalo, there was more than enough time for a hurricane to form.

Best warned: “We are forecasting that sustained storm force winds are likely to spread across Barbados from the morning of Saturday July 25 with a chance of increasing to hurricane force by Saturday afternoon, during which time wind speeds of 70 to 80 miles per hour with slightly higher gusts are likely to affect the island.”

But touching on the uncertainty over the system’s trajectory, he also acknowledged: “The intensity forecast remains very problematic given the small size of the cyclone and occasional dry air entrainment.”

In anticipation of rough seas, numerous cruise ships docked off Barbados will move northward out of the storm’s path. Abrahams also thanked the country’s fishermen for hauling in their boats well in advance of the storm.

Amid the uncertainty of the next 48 hours, Barbadians are also being urged to take no chances with the safety of their homes, the gathering of supplies, and all other preparations.

Abrahams said: “[Gonzalo’s strength] can increase, it can turn on a dime or it can decrease, and we can’t comfortably make the projections. As time progresses, and it gets closer, we will be able to make accurate projections, but for the time being, we must maintain our vigilance and preparedness as if the storm is coming toward us, because we cannot yet rule out an increase in intensity or a change in the direction of the storm.

“I urge Barbadians not to be complacent. Let us follow the directives of the government and the meteorological department and do the things that we are supposed to do during the hurricane season.” kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb

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