We can’t stop the storms, but we can be ready

As Barbados stares down the start of yet another hurricane season, forecast to be above average, with as many as 19 named storms, we find ourselves in a troubling position: still patching the wounds of the last disaster. Nearly a year after Hurricane Beryl ravaged the island’s coastline, destroyed more than 200 fishing boats, and crippled the livelihoods of countless fisherfolk, many in the industry have yet to recover.

The men and women who provide the nation with a vital source of food and economic activity, who risk their lives at sea to sustain their families and supply our markets, are still struggling to get back on their feet, even as the 2025 hurricane season begins in a matter of days.

This prolonged recovery should not be seen as a failure of the individuals affected, but rather as a call to examine the broader gaps in our disaster preparedness, response, and resilience strategies. The government’s support, including the Business Interruption Benefit and nearly $1 million in boat repair funding, provided some relief. Yet it is clear that more structural, long-term interventions are necessary to safeguard vulnerable sectors like fisheries from climate-driven devastation.

The $54 million breakwater project at the Bridgetown Fisheries Complex is also a welcome step towards protecting the industry from future storms. But infrastructure alone is not enough. The fact that dozens of fishers are still grounded or operating at limited capacity underscores how deeply disasters can fracture not only property, but also people’s ability to work, provide, and live with dignity.

The urgency of preparedness cannot be overstated. The warnings are clear, the risks are real, and the consequences of inaction could be devastating.

Speaking at the launch of the Caribbean Regional Logistics Hub and Centre of Excellence at Grantley Adams International Airport, Prime Minister Mia Mottley acknowledged that the climate crisis “is not going to change.” That means hurricanes like Beryl may become more frequent, more intense, and more disruptive. If one storm can knock out a major economic sector for nearly a year, what will the next bring?

Mottley’s call for Barbadians to not wait until a storm is bearing down before taking action must be taken seriously. Preparing for the hurricane season should be as routine as paying the light bill. Yet every year, we see supermarkets filled with panicked shoppers just days, or even hours, before a storm hits. Too many families remain unprepared for the basic realities of post-disaster survival.

The Prime Minister’s advice to stock up on food and medicine, and to plan for 48 to 72 hours of self-reliance after a major storm, is timely. But resilience cannot be reduced to individual responsibility alone. It must be a collective commitment, encompassing government policy, community action, emergency services, and economic planning.

Preparedness must also prioritise the most vulnerable among us: the elderly, people with disabilities, and low-income households. A storm does not discriminate, but its aftermath often does, worsening inequality and exposing gaps in care and support.

And yet, readiness at the household level is only part of the equation. The broader issue remains the existential threat of climate change, which is no longer abstract but a daily, visible reality for island nations like ours. The increasing frequency and intensity of hurricanes, coastal erosion, and disruption to key industries are all symptoms of a crisis we can no longer afford to ignore.

Barbados has become a leading voice on the world stage, advocating for climate justice and global accountability. Mottley’s renewed call for action on methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide, is a reminder that even small steps can make a meaningful difference. Scientists say that reducing methane emissions could lower global temperatures by half a degree. That may sound modest, but for countries like Barbados, it could be the difference between a survivable hurricane and a catastrophic one.

Still, the greatest change must begin at home. Disaster preparedness must not be viewed as an inconvenience or a last-minute scramble. It must become a way of life, woven into how we build, how we plan, and how we educate. As the Prime Minister noted, resilience must be taught to our children, not just awareness, but the habits and mindset that could one day save lives.

Barbados cannot control the weather. But we can control how we prepare for it, how we respond to it, and how quickly we recover from it. We can strengthen our homes, our systems, and our communities. We can listen to the lessons of past storms and take deliberate, thoughtful steps to protect what we hold dear.

As the 2025 hurricane season begins on June 1, let this be the year we do more than brace for impact; let this be the year we build for resilience.