PM: Don’t be complacent

Barbadians have been warned against venturing outside on Saturday until the Tropical Storm Warning currently in place is discontinued, according to Prime Minister Mia Mottley.

After an extensive assessment of the country ahead of Tropical Storm Gonzalo’s passage, she cautioned against complacency as the weakening weather system takes aim at Grenada and the islands of the Grenadines as it inches closer to the Eastern Caribbean.

“Thus far, Gonzalo has behaved like a drunken person. [It has been moving] up and down and when I see that kind of behaviour in a [weather] system, my advice to all Barbadians is to stay vigilant. Unless the tropical storm warning is lifted, only the essential workers and critical care workers in the country should be outside. To that extent we expect everybody to stay in and stay safe,” said Prime Minister Mottley.

“We are all saying to you to please continue to prepare. If the worst does not happen, we at least would have had a dry run. If as we anticipate we are going to get bad weather, at least we are going to minimize the extent of that bad weather causing dislocation to families, putting lives at risk, limbs at risk and properties at risk if we properly prepare,” she added.

Flanked by Attorney General Dale Marshall, Home Affairs Minister Wilfred Abrahams, as well as Transport, Works and Water Resources Minister Ian Gooding-Edghill, the PM stressed that although officials from MTW have been clearing the country’s major drains and water passages, the threat of flash flooding could not be ruled out.

She also warned citizens against venturing into the ocean in anticipation of massive sea swells and Tropical Storm force winds throughout the day.

With seven named storms already recorded, the 2020 hurricane season is shaping up to be an unusually active one. Although Gonzalo no longer appears to be a major threat, the PM encouraged citizens to continue putting proactive measures in place that will safeguard them throughout the season.

“If there are areas around you that still need to be cleaned, let us know, because we anticipate that this will be a long season. We have never had to respond this early to a storm this late in the alphabet and that in and of itself should tell you that this is an unusual time in which we are living,” said Mottley.

But she added: “I know where we were this year and last year in terms of preparedness, and we are far more advanced in ensuring that persons keep around them clean.” kareemsmith@barbadostoday.bb