Prime Minister Mia Mottley has advised that all non-essential businesses in Barbados should close by 8:30 p.m. on Sunday as the Island prepares for the passage of Hurricane Beryl. In addition, all public events must end by 8 p.m.
In her latest statement, The Prime Minister again underscored the need for Barbadians to remain vigilant given the changing nature of the system.
She pledged to further update the country when the Hurricane Hunter aircraft examines the system on Sunday. In the meantime, she has urged Barbadians to secure loose objects that could become missiles, assist elderly citizens and other vulnerable persons in the community, stock up on water, food and other medical supplies and assist visitors on island who may need help.
Below is the full text of the PM’s address:
Good night Barbadians.
As promised last night, I am back here to be able to speak with you again as we prepare as a people for the passage of Hurricane Beryl.
It has now become a hurricane and as indicated we have to remain vigilant over the course of the time between now and when it passes early in the hours of Monday morning.
The evidence given to us by the Meteorological office suggests at 5 p.m. that the system is 720 miles east southeast of Barbados and moving quickly at 22 miles per hour.
The winds are Category One hurricane winds, 75 miles per hour and therefore, as I said to you last night, we remain absolutely vigilant and need to take every precaution that is possible for ourselves, for our family and for our neighbors.
Indeed, as we go forward, it is significant that while this storm, this hurricane may move just south of Barbados, the truth is it can at any point move north, it can at any point seek to impact us more. Hurricane Ivan as you know, was dead on coming to Barbados and it ended up going to Grenada.
Equally. Hurricane Ivan changed its speed as this one can change its speed. Hurricane Maria became a Category five hurricane in a matter of hours for Dominica. I only remind you of these things to reinforce why we need to remain vigilant as a people.
There are a few things that I want to talk to you about and you would have heard with respect to the Meteorological Office’s advisory that the hurricane winds at the moment are only 10 miles from the centre that too can change. That the storm force winds are 50 miles from the centre that too can change, but if it remains on its current trajectory, we may be a little better off than we thought last night.
The reality, however, is that we know all of this can change because it is a small system that is only 95 miles wide and therefore any shift at all can significantly impact us.
I want to remind us of a few things as we prepare.
I’m sure many of you went to the supermarket today. Many of you checked up on your family to make sure that those who need assistance can get it. Many of you are boarding up as is our custom because we know that it is better to be safe than sorry.
Even as we do that, please remember to collect water because if we do have any impact on our water systems, you will need it over the course of the next few days, similarly, because there is a system behind it, we know that we’re going to have a long week and that long week means that we have to be patient and we have to be vigilant.
The reality is I’d like to ask each of you too, many of you have these new garbage cans that were distributed a couple of years ago. Many of you have old ones. I’m asking you to move your garbage cans or tie them down inside. Why? Because at the end of the day, if high winds come, they can become a missile or a projectile that can hurt somebody or break somebody’s windows.
The truth also is that if we do that, we need to also look around our yards tomorrow to make sure that there’s nothing else that the wind can pick up and cause injury to anybody else.
God forbid that that should happen.
I’m asking you as well even as you do that to continue to ensure that you have your medication in order and that you have the people who, you know, I asked the young people yesterday to reach out to others in the community and to make sure that they are safe and work with the District Emergency Organisations.
There are also concerns with respect to pets and those of you who have pets, you need to take all necessary precautions to protect them as well.
My friends as we go forward, we’ve had some consultations up this afternoon again.
I just came out of a meeting with all of the relevant ministers and ministries and we have consulted with the private sector and we believe that all businesses that are non-essential should close tomorrow evening no later than 8:30 p.m. We do not expect many to be open because it’s a Sunday evening. But gas stations and mini-marts and restaurants may still be there.
Equally, we are saying to those of you who have promotions or public events, nothing can go on beyond 8 p.m. tomorrow. If not, we will have to ask the police to come and have a word with you because the reality is that we do not want to put anybody’s life at risk in this country. The Met Office has been very clear that even though they expect these winds to come around two o’clock in the morning, it can come earlier, it can come as early as 8/9 o’clock and that is why tomorrow when the Hurricane Hunter goes in, we will report and be able to give you an even more accurate position with respect to the nature of the system and the other attributes of the system.
In addition to that, the work continued apace today with the Ministry of Public Works, they went into Trents to Goodland, to Deacons farm to Kensington, New Road to a number of areas I am informed.
And tomorrow we’ll continue in Wotton in Holetown in Work Hall Woodburn in Fitz Village.
Because as we know, these are areas that traditionally have been subject to flooding concerns and they’re cleaning the drains and doing all of the things that are necessary for us to ensure that there’s minimal damage to property and certainly no loss of life.
My friends today was World Cup and we hosted the world and I first of all want to congratulate all Barbadians for doing us proud and ensuring that we not only showed up to the world that we are capable as a small state of doing these things, but that we give our visitors a good time, but equally our visitors are here with us and some of them may be due to leave tomorrow, but some are not due to leave until Monday and Tuesday.
Some of them have never gone through a hurricane or a storm before. we met with the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association a few weeks ago and yet again yesterday.
And we therefore are conscious that we have plans to take care of them. But I ask each Bajan to be conscious that with as many visitors on island that we now want each Bajan to be that best host that they can be and to take care of persons, particularly those who may be anxious about what a hurricane involves and what happens in a storm.
I ask you therefore to work with me to ensure that those who are not able to get out tomorrow will be able to have the support of the hotels and the general workers and staff and everyone with whom they interact over this period of time.
I spoke about the closure of businesses.I’m informed that the airport will probably close on about eight pm tomorrow night, but you will have further advice on that tomorrow, particularly after the hurricane hunter goes in. I’m asking therefore my friends that we accept that this is going to be a long week it isn’t the one that we expected, but it is the one that we have and therefore we will continue to speak with you.
Minister Abrams will continue to update you. The Met Office will continue to update you.
I’m speaking here from the Department of Emergency Management with Miss Hinds and others, we will continue to do our work overnight and through tomorrow in order to make sure that we keep you safe, but this is not a one way road, it’s two ways I need you,you need us, we need to work together.And if we do so, then as I said, we will prepare to ensure that we are ready, but we will pray to ensure that we don’t face the worst.
I’m asking you, therefore, please, my friends let us together all hands and make sure that we protect this country, protect our vulnerable families, members, protect each other and spend the next 24 to 36 hours waiting on this first system, but do not let your guard down because we have then to take new guard on Wednesday.
Tomorrow, we’ll address issues such as school and shelters and all of that.
But now is not the time for that.
So God bless you.
God bless each and every one of you.
God bless Barbados and stay alert, only trusted news media, as I said last night.
