#SpeakingOut – Be prepared for the hurricane season

The hurricane season is about to visit us again. As usual, the citizens of the region are being advised and warned to be adequately prepared and ready for any eventualities.

Meteorologists are predicting “more than usual” and above-normal activity. It is being predicted that weather conditions are likely to impact in ways never seen before.

Such warnings and advice should not be taken as only pertinent to residential dwellers.  Corporate citizens must also be aware of their roles and responsibilities during this time of the year.

Reliable, uninterrupted power and communication systems are necessary requirements, especially for our increasingly aging population of seniors.

Since the change from copper to fibre optic technology, there appears to be no deliberate attempt to provide customers with appropriate uninterrupted power with communications services.

Good corporate citizens are expected to provide good service – the opposite is also true – Bad corporate citizens are expected to provide bad service.

It is sad to say that requests to make such services more reliable have been ignored and gone unanswered. It is a regular feature for customers to be without any telecommunications services during power outtages if there is no uninterrupted power supply available.

Service reliability continues to be under the oversight and regulation of a government agency specifically established by Law, yet Barbadians are unable to access a reliable and required level of service.

Hopefully, citizens will not have to wait until events of a catastrophic nature befall us, before a better level and quality of service is made available.

We still wait with hope and bated breath.