Minister says Gov’t has taken steps to avoid any critical food shortages in aftermath of a disaster

There is enough food on the island to cater to the needs of the population in the event a major hurricane or natural disaster strikes.

That assurance was given today by Minister of Home Affairs and Information Wilfred Abrahams, who said Government had moved swiftly to ensure there was no shortage of food ahead of the start of the hurricane season.

He said while Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had led to severe food shortages across the world, Barbados was still in a position to feed its people.

However, Abrahams said Barbadians should have been stocking up on canned and dried foods ahead of the June 1 start of the hurricane season and should therefore not have to rush to the supermarkets at the last minute for food items.

“The Government has been taking steps, very, very public steps recently to enhance our food security. We are aware of the challenges occasioned by the war in Ukraine. If you remember our Prime Minister was one of the first people to speak out about it and when the Prime Minister spoke out about it a lot of people criticized her and asked why Barbados got involved in that stuff that is going on in the Ukraine and it has nothing to do with us. She made the point from way back then, two days after Russia invaded, that what happens there would eventually filter and affect us here.

“Since that time the Government has been taking steps to ensure that we had a certain stock of food in Barbados. You are going to see that you may not be getting things that you are accustomed getting but we are working with the retailers, we are working with those who are in wholesale to ensure that the relevant or appropriate substitutes are available for most things,” Abrahams said during a press
conference to mark the start of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season at the Department of Emergency Management (DEM).

“I’m not worried about our ability to feed ourselves immediately in the aftermath of a serious weather event…I don’t think you have to worry about us running out of food and it being a starvation issue. Equal, each of us still has to manage for ourselves if we accept that it is likely that something may hit us this year or is a possibility, then put yourself in a position that if something does impact you then you and your family are secure for a little while.”
randybennett@barbadostoday.bb