Good afternoon Barbadians. Based on the latest report issued just moments ago by the Barbados MET Office, Barbados remains under storm watch. While we were not expecting any significant weather during the day, we have already had reports of some heavy gusts across the island, reports of a fallen tree in Dunlow Lane, which resulted in damage to a house. Fortunately, there has been no personal injury sustained.
As the system gets closer, we are expecting a worsening of weather conditions from around 6:00 p.m. this evening. What does this mean for Barbadians? It means that you can expect sustained winds between 20-35 mph and with gusts reaching storm force.
This can potentially cause some roof damage to compromised structures, fallen electricity poles and up to 2inches of rain and consequent flooding in some very well-known flood prone areas. Conditions are expected to continue like this throughout the night as the system passes north of the island.
Out of an abundance of caution, we have already advised that schools will close at 1:00 p.m., so that our school children can be off the roads relatively early and parents can make arrangements for them to be collected or to make their way home.
As many of you are aware, there were a number of exams that took place today, and we wanted to ensure that those students were obviously facilitated.
Cabinet took a further briefing from the MET Office just moments ago, where we are satisfied that the conditions now merit a cessation of public transportation at 5:00 p.m. In other words, the last bus will leave the terminals at 5:00 p.m.
As a consequence, we have also advised that all non-essential government services will close at 2:30 p.m. We are strongly advising all persons to be off the road by 6:00 p.m. If you do not have to be on the road, please stay at home and take all necessary precautions to ensure your safety.
This is also a time to check on your elderly neighbours and people living in the neighbourhood, who are vulnerable, to ensure that they have all that they need, and in the event that they need to reach out for any assistance that you are able to provide it. Let us be our brother’s keeper!
We have taken a number of precautions over the course of the last 48 hours, to reduce the flooding in a number of the flood prone areas, particularly in the north, where the system is intending to pass.
And we have also put systems in place to pump off excess water as the need arises. Category 1 Shelters are ready to be put into action, as needed, and the list of those shelters is available on www.gisbarbados.gov.bb. We have also started to haul up the boats from yesterday, and that is continuing throughout the day today.
By now many of you may have realised that St. Lucia is under Hurricane watc,h and we are ever mindful that these systems have the potential to develop further. As we ride out this system, let us keep our brothers in St. Lucia, and all of the other islands that may be in the path of this system in our prayers.
I ask Barbadians as well to pay attention to reliable media sources for information on this system. There is a lot negative information, a lot of fake news that is circulating in the public domain, and therefore it is important that you pay attention and listen to the radio for the regular updates which may come out from the Government Information Service or GIS.
Thank you; God bless and stay safe.
Acting Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw