Inniss shares views on storm

The Barbados Meteorological Services and the Department of Emergency Management have both come in for kudos from a Government Minister who has lauded their efforts to keep Barbadians apprised of the situation in the lead up to and during the passage of Tropical Storm Harvey.

Minister of Industry, International Business, Commerce and Small Business Development, Donville Inniss, in an interview with The Barbados Advocate yesterday morning, noted that it was the up-to-date information from these departments yesterday that allowed Government and the private sector to make informed choices about the best times to close for business, so as to ensure that persons would make it home safely. The Industry and Commerce Minister’s comments came as he also said he was heartened that there were no hiccups this time around within the business community about the closure of businesses during an emergency situation.

“The fact is that with Government closing as early as 2:30 pm and the Transport Board indicating that the last buses would leave the terminals at 5 pm, it was a natural progression then that businesses would close their doors, and most closed between 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm, ensuring that workers could get to their homes in as reasonable a time as possible ahead of the storm. We do know of instances where some businesses closed later, but I am pleased to note that in those instances we were assured that they would make provisions to get those staff members home,” he said.

He noted that while in hindsight there may be some critics that will suggest that the country was shutdown too early, he maintained that is always best to operate with an abundance of caution, than to have a catastrophe on one’s hands.

Reflecting then on the flooding that occurred in the North of the island, particularly Speightstown, where a number of businesses operate, Minister Inniss noted that flooding in that part of the island has long been a challenge, and he is insisting that steps should be taken to see what can be done in respect of the infrastructure to prevent such flooding in the future. He said individuals and businesses alike also have a role to play. Minister Inniss said persons need to examine their premises to see what can be done by way of the clearing of drains to alleviate flooding. “So while to some extent we have been spared this time around, we cannot be complacent, we have to be proactive,” he maintained. (JRT)