The Jefferson Cumberbatch Column – On Weather Emergency Management
At his best, man is the noblest of all animals; separated from law and justice, he is the worst –Aristotle.
Former Attorney General disagrees with current AG Brathwaite that laws are needed to force businesses to comply with shutdown order issued by the DEM.
Unlike many in Barbados and Trinidad & Tobago, who ascribe their frequent near misses from hurricanes to divine intervention or seek to ascribe a nationality to God that tallies with theirs, my unlearned view inclines rather to the thesis that these countries lie outside the presumed “hurricane belt” and that what might frequently appear to be contrived diversions from hypothetical paths are in fact consistent with the traditional directions of these phenomena.
Of course, this does not create a total immunity, given the frequency and magnitude of these events, although it may ensure that any “hit” is akin to a deflection rather than directly off the meat of the bat, if you will excuse the cricketing analogy. Thus, it is my understanding that the hurricane that is still spoken about with awe locally, the one named Janet in 1955, for all the death, damage and dislocation it caused, was not a direct hit but rather had passed much to the south of the island.
In this context therefore, we should never leave ourselves unprepared for such another such eventuality and, fortunately, it has become almost cultural for locals to store an adequate supply of water and to purchase, albeit at the eleventh hour, enough non-perishable foodstuff to last during any enforced period of restriction to their homes as a result of the passage of the storm.
Further, the state, as part of its constitutional responsibility has established an advisory body of high-powered officials to coordinate the public management of such emergencies. We are thus well organized as a nation to confront any likely danger.
However, in light of the actuality that forecasting the weather is scarcely a precise endeavour, there are likely to be circumstances when, in the interests of public safety, the authorities will be prone to over-caution and to prepare for the worst-case scenario through preventive measures that entail restriction of the freedoms of citizens to act as they might please. Invariably, when the worst case does not eventuate, instead of gratitude, there is no shortage of what those football fans in the US would call “Monday morning quarterbacking”, (and what we might call in these parts “batting from the pavilion) –whereby, with the aid of hindsight, some individuals seek to pillory, to various degrees, both the meteorological forecasts and the official state action that had been taken in good faith with a view to ensuring the public safety.
The extreme state action taken in this context is an island-wide or national shutdown, purportedly regulated by a policy document, impressively titled “Policy Framework and Standard Operating Procedures for the Systematic National Shutdown & Reactivation of Barbados.” It declares itself as formulated to provide for an orderly shutdown and reactivation of the country following a severe weather, tropical storm or hurricane WARNING (sic) issued by the Barbados Meteorological Service after collaboration with the Department of Emergency Management.
In spite of its significance however, the document trusts rather to ethical suasion for the enforcement of its provisions rather than to the rule of law, with the result that some of its provisions may easily be ignored without legal sanction. Indeed, it is by now notorious that some businesses elected to open their establishments on Wednesday last, much to the chagrin of those state officials who bear ultimate formal responsibility for the operation of the national shutdown.
In their defence, the document, perhaps owing to its essentially collaborative nature is not the most happily drafted piece of regulation one will ever encounter. For example, after expressly stipulating that “…On the issue of the National Shutdown Instruction, private sector entities/companies shall close their operation…” taking certain stated matters into account, it then proceeds to catalogue a number of private sector entities “which provide essential emergency services to the general public in times of emergencies” without any further positive or negative provision in that regard.
If it were to be subject to the traditional rules of interpretation, one would be tempted here to apply the principle of construction “inclusio unius est exclusio alterius” –the inclusion of one in a list implies the exclusion of another that might have been included therein, but is not- and to argue accordingly that those entities not mentioned should not open at all during the shutdown, presumably since they do not supply essential emergency services, while those that are listed and do supply such services are entitled to remain open.
A Barbados Advocate editorial on Friday sought to treat some of the thornier employment relation issues that are likely to arise for those workers who are called out to the workplace during a national shutdown. It is further understood that some employers arranged transportation for some of these workers, thereby creating the legal scenario that the employee is to be taken as having begun work from the time he or she boarded the designated vehicle and was therefore immediately owed a duty of care in respect of their health and safety by the employer.
In another section of the press today (Saturday) the general secretary of the Barbados Workers’ Union, Ms Toni Moore, accused some businesses of focusing solely on their bottom lime, which, with all respect is, within the limits of the law, the raison d’être of free enterprise.
Thing is, there is no current applicable law in force against what occurred on Wednesday, and while there may be some merit in an assertion that there is no law to govern commonsense and ethical behaviour, law is nevertheless the basis on which our society is governed and may be the only language that some will understand.
Barbados Underground 
Jeff Cumberbatch
Thing is, there is no current applicable law in force against what occurred on Wednesday, and while there may be some merit in an assertion that there is no law to govern commonsense and ethical behaviour Correct
law is nevertheless the basis on which our society is governed Correct
and may be the only language that some will understand.
Yes some but those that do not ( in Barbados ) always do as they dam please because the powers of govt have been weak and knock knead in their refusal to enforce the laws , one take a look around Barbados there is such evidence Unless the laws are enforced no matter how much legislation is passed people would continue to make a mockery of the system , The business owners in Swan Street that emptied their garbage in broad daylight took such an advantage knowing full well that no govt official would not dare or bother to question that dastardly and brazen unlawful and illegal dumping in order to find and prosecute the violator of the law.
Apparently in Barbados we have now reached a stage that everybody is a law unto themselves
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Jeff if I may ask senor, please elaborate on your easy with a prompt of a query or two, You stated that “there is no current applicable law in force against what occurred on Wednesday, and … [notwithstanding common sense] … law is nevertheless the basis on which our society is governed and may be the only language that some will understand.”
So the queries are: Were business persons able to legally disobey the directives of police officers to shutter their businesses during the national shutdown mandate; and on what legal basis was that police action taken?
Why should a matter such as this be left flying in the those high wind rather than nailed down practically and legally to avoid unnecessary damage?
And are we making too much of this? If emergency services had to be activated as a result of a problem which itself had its genesis in the actions mandated by one of these business persons is it not simply possible to charge all costs to him/her?
As you clearly note with your comment ( “…immediately owed a duty of care in respect of their health and safety by the employer”) there would be ample civil remedy for any employee injured.
Clearly not a criminal indictment seemingly. And if so why not, if the government thinks their framework is so important.
Much thanks.
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Based on all the above was Kellman right or wrong to open Moontown in St.Lucy to as he said assist his people?
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Oh dear, excuse the typos above…
**easy= essay
** in the those high wind = in those high winds
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A tangential observation: the apology from Bynoe is an understandable move in response to the public chiding. He is not stupid.
Kellman on the other hand is standing firm. It will be interesting to see if he is disciplined by the Prime Minister. The one thing you can say is that he is standing for something even if some believe it is nothing.
What we have here is business leaders forced to make judgement calls in the absence of laws.
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This non-issue has been already hacked to death.
There is no law regulating the matter – and businesspeople are entitled to use their best judgement. Common sense would dictate that if there was a law established, it certainly would NOT mandate a national shutdown for a ‘depression’ or a minimal storm.
Lazy people always look for excuses to avoid work.
Productive people always look for opportunities to exploit… a natural conflict.
If there is any failing, it is in the now well established area of ‘piss poor national management’.
BTW…
Toni Moore’s contribution was brilliant… re businesses focusing on their bottom line. One wonders what she thought they should be focused on…?
…and Bushie wonders what HER focus was ..when she accepted a duty free handout on her mercedes from the MoF – who represents the biggest employer of her members?
…the top line…?
@ AC
Oh shut up do!!
Common sense is the basis on which we operate as a society too…
…and yet you are allowed on BU.
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Kellman and the others saw the bottom line figures and opened their businesses not for the benefit of the public or in Kellman’s case his St Lucy people but rather to male a killing had the storm devastated the Island.
Kellman always comes with some of the dandiest excuses to satisfy the gullible listeners to his tirades. He might not even be capable of understanding when things go bad. What a sorry state we are in.
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The debate is bigger than what Kellman did. In a disaster there must be order underpinned by enforceable rules. We can criticise Kellman all we want, this is not the issue. What about all the other citizens who ignored the order to remain indoors?
We need to fix the problem at source and stop the emotional claptrap.
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Before lawyers like Jeff start pontificating on this issue, we need some smart economists to calculate the costs of dozens of unnecessary drills and dress rehearsals for hurricanes that will never arrive.
Barbados lies south and east of the main hurricane corridor. Like Trinidad and Grenada it is seldom hit, but the hurricanes that do develop outside the main corridor are much more powerful than the average storm. So what are the costs of being somewhat unprepared for the (rare) big hits, compared to the costs of (routine) precautions taken during annual false alarms.
My own guess is that Barbados is spending more on emergency preparedness than is necessary. But we need some carefully prepared calculations to inform our public debate.
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What know according to political aspirant Jeremy Stephen is the based on GDP performance of the economy businesses are in the hole 22 million dollars. We all know that consumers and employees will pay the price.
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David Comissiong stated he had no problem with employees showing up for work during the calls by govt for a national shutdown as long as the employee agreed to do so, Well! Well ! Well! absent of the fact there was no law to govern the shut down most employees would have risk life and limb to secure their job out of fear of being fired ,
However constitutionally there are laws which protect and gives individual a right of privilege for self protection in the event there is a real cause of threats or danger to themselves ,
Here we have the intervention of an intellectual who cannot understand how the the poor working class have to make hard choices to earn a living and keep their jobs even in times of danger. However can conclude that the employee putting life in danger is ok to satisfy the bottom line for a few
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Are the District Emergency volunteers allowed to go out during the shutdown to assist people and are they allowed to go to shopkeepers for assistance with goods to facilitate this assistance?
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How did Stephens arrive at $22 million? Why not 44 or 66 million? I am sure that some practitioners of the dismal science could provide different figures or indicate it was a non- event. Barbados is the land of second guessers no more so than on BU. Hurricane forecasting today is very good, however when hurricanes are in the vicinity the forecasters provide several different tracks on what direction it may take on depending on other factors. It is better to err on the side of caution than to be caught flat footed, recently Tomas gave us a glancing blow and there was a bit of devastation and dislocation and any rational person would be very involved in securing their family and property, work be damned.
Life is not a rehearsal we get one chance and most of us would want to prolong it as much as possible, someone has to call the shots and the authorities decided based on the available information that the country would be better served if the work force was off the road and at home during a possible weather event that could develop into a potential hurricane, it seems that some of us want a free for all where everyone makes his/her own decision based on his/her particular circumstances.
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I find myself unabable to get my head around this problem.
(1) Con: employees had to leave their family and to travel during bad weather
(2) Pro: the employer’s building most like offers similar level of safety as the employees home; so that danger was limited to their travel.
(3) Pro: they were available to offer services to people who felt it necessary to come out during the storm; their service was of benefit to others.
We can be Bajans and get into an infinite intellectual discussion about this; but as long as employees had an opportunity to say no (to coming in to work), then this was not a problem.
Furthermore, (and here is where others sill disagree with me), I resent the fact of the government telling a sane and sensible man to stay indoors during bad weather. This is not a’military’ situation. Was this a curfew?
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A caution or advisory is nothing more than a caution or advisory.
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Marketing 101….in every threat there is an opportunity.
There should be no law mandating closure of any business.
There should be a stiff penalty for failure to obey an order issued by the GG of a National Emergency of Barbados the exception being those services as spelled out viz Police,Defence,Hospitals,Power,etc In other words it’s like declaring a Riot.That is a word we all understand since we seem to be dealing with brassbowls like Kellman.
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@Sargeant
The issue is having laws to support if enforcement action needs to be taken in a shutdown scenario. Note we are not discussing state of emergency. It has nothing to do with it being a Barbados thing if we accept that historically a voluntary approach sufficed given our geographical location to the South.
BTW the GDP output of Barbados is a matter of record.
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Stephens said “the economy businesses are in the hole 22 million dollars”
What about the benefit to businesses of the millions in last minute emergency shopping by Bajans over 2 days?
What about the value of selling inventory that would otherwise be sitting on shelves?
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The decision cannot be left the employees because if there is a problem essential services personnel maybe placed in danger.
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@Hants
The statement must be understood in context. The business sector in Barbados not only about retail outlets.
>
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Tourism is the biggest industry in Barbados. The hotels were not shut down.
Those with bars and restaurants would have sold more food and liquor as guest stayed indoors.
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“Hinds responds to homeless being left in cold during storm” article by Desmond Brown on October 1, 2016.
“Acting Director of the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) Kerry Hinds has admitted authorities fell short in providing for homeless people during the passage of Tropical Storm Matthew.”
“President of the Barbados Vagrants and Homeless Society (BVHS) Kemar Saffrey had expressed outrage that the homeless were forced to brave the elements and no one in authority seemed to care.”
“Hinds said there was consideration for vulnerable persons during times of disaster but admitted more needs to be done.”t
That is the real story. The systematic failure of government to look out for all of its citizens. We sit and fret and worry about one segment and consider a next segment as trash and disposable.
Get out of here.
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A glaring example of two levels of Barbaadian citizenship; those that matter and disposable.s
And then those who think they matter wanna cry because they learn they might not really matter; and so they gnash their teeth, and run for their thesauri, and cry like babies… waaaaaaah.
Forgive me, if I cannot take yah seriously…
I am out of this….
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forgive the typos… I’m fired up
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Let de ole man present one angle for consideration that we learned (with an acute over the e) men and women HAVE STRANGELY NOT ONE OF US MENTIONED.
300!!
Nooooooo, that is not the 300 warriors that Leonidus led and that Hollywood depicted in that record buster about the Spartans
Neither is it half of the 600 famed warriors of The Charge of the Light Brigade, that British light cavalry led by Lord Cardigan against Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava on 25 October 1854, in the Crimean War (de ole man cut and paste that piece of historical fact)
But I doubt dat any uh wunna can tell me what it is so i going expose it by using a nex mystery topic.
“Civil Preparations for a Nuclear War”
Again de ole man is seeing the WTF expressions on wunna faces and those who have decided dat de ole man lost it and dat it is time to skip he entries again.
But I gine reveal it now.
THere is something called the “minimum civil preparedness” action list that people are supposed to have in place prior to any national disaster
Tek a look at http://www.oism.org/nwss/s73p927.htm
Particularly de ole man wants wunna to read de food part which states “Store at least a 2-week supply of compact, nonperishable food. The balanced ration of basic dry foods described in Chapter 9, Food, satisfies requirements for adults and larger children at minimum cost. If your family includes babies or small children, be sure to store more milk powder, vegetable oil, and sugar….”
60 % of the bajan population earns $300 a week, pre taxes.
Such meagre incomes DO NOT PREDISPOSE WE NIGGERS to stockpile food for even 1 week particularly not at the specific prices in our supermarkets (EXCLUDING POPULAR/Bertram Hall)
The last minute habitual? pattern of shopping on the eve of an impending disaster is not because we are last minute planners, rather I should have said, is less because we are last minute planners, but more because 60% of us niggers CANNOT AFFORD TO STOCKPILE ANY SHY##TE cause we ent got de $$ to do that luxury!!!
Tell me which one uh wunna peeple heah got food supplies stockpiled that wunna DOES NOT USE and which is your Disaster Emergency stocks?
So on the one hand we have peeple with a preparedness need THAT CANNOT BE ACCOMMODATED cause we as@es ent millionaires and then we have a business community which, in addition to being driven by the reason that they are in business, TO MEK MONEY, would be considered selfish IF THEY DID NOT OPEN THEIR DOORS AND CAUSED 60% of our population to starve.
While one seems not to be able to definitively predict landfall certainly making accommodation for we “NOT SO LUCKY NIGGERS” should mean something!
Please peeple get real and stop bashing these businesses for what was/is/and always will be “a mechanic that is driven by the need of peeple to get food/supplies, items THAT OUR DONKEYS DID NOT HAVE, cause we cant stockpile them, to survive”.
I betcha if de people had lock up dem stores we would be here quarreling bout how unkind Andrew Boyce is, and how he is a millionaire, and dat he feel dat he is god and dat he cant get brek. And all the flax.
Wunna know de catchment areas dat Boyce does serve in Black Rock?? does any uh wunna really care? dem is de 60% ers
Kelli is a man who works hard , and many says dat he loves money, and will do most anything for it but really, it ent Kelli who was the beneficiary of de stores being open it is poor ass people who cant stockpile.
If there is a national emergency AND the government says that the place is on lockdown, it should be that staff should have the option to go to work or not go, and in the event that they do not go, AND GET FIRED for such, then there should be recourse available to such persons.
A business which determines that it does not have the compliment of staff to open WILL CLOSE ITS DOORS though we can expect that it will be said that “dem rich effers ent want to serve we po’ peeple during a national weather emergency”
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no disrespect Jeff
Saw the ‘same’ comments moving across three blogs….
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@PUDRYR
The last minute habitual? pattern of shopping on the eve of an impending disaster is not because we are last minute planners, rather I should have said, is less because we are last minute planners, but more because 60% of us niggers CANNOT AFFORD TO STOCKPILE ANY SHY##TE cause we ent got de $$ to do that luxury!!!
If only I had your gift of gab. That is what the hell I have been trying to say for 3 days.
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A bet ya the dummy Kellman would never stand up for his people’s rights like that….but is adamant about standing fir what is clearly wrong.
@government ministersareassbackwards.com.
Andrew Bynoe knows in business 101….your customers always deserve an apology for your cockups.
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“CANNOT AFFORD TO STOCKPILE ANY SHY##TE cause we ent got de $$ to do that luxury!!!”
They can afford weave, fetes, kadooment costumes and all other types of useless shit though.
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http://www.ecdcrew.com/showStormDetail.php?s=1743
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Piece…no one is bashing businesses for opening PRIOR to the storm…..the bashing is for opening while the storm was ACTIVE, WINDS, WATER, FLOODING….ACTIVELY IN PROGRESS…..AT IT’S MOST DANGEROUS.
But as I said, let them pull that stunt with a more unstable storm than Janet.,,,, the worst that could happen….mass burials.
Someone sent me a video with some little white fool, being pulled by a car, sking..with real skis, on the garrison…that is so cute, unti ya have to bury them, let’s hope they outdo themselves next hurricane season.
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I dont care where they come from…tourists are used to major disasters in their country….they are populated by millions of people..they know to keep their asses at the hotels where there are bars and restaurants…unless emergency services tell them to evacuate….. …
……….no tourist is going to go wandering around for a noodle shop or supermarket in a storm….that is relegated to the most stupid in the society….who had 48 hours prior to the storm to shop.
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“We can be Bajans and get into an infinite intellectual discussion about this; but as long as employees had an opportunity to say no (to coming in to work), then this was not a problem.”
http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/87613/probe-workers-coerced
At least Commissiong is not letting it rest, he wants answers.
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the rationale comparing last minute Xmas shopper to last minute shopper on the eve of an impending natural disaster is ludicrous and does not comparatively fit into those warnings or measures given as caution before the disaster occurs.
Shoppers are told months in advance during the hurricane season to be prepared however very takes those necessary precautions seriously ahead of time .Now what we are hearing are some with their confabulated logic to advanced excuses out of ignorance to support lawlessness
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“Jeff if I may ask senor, please elaborate on your easy with a prompt of a query or two, You stated that “there is no current applicable law in force against what occurred on Wednesday, and … [notwithstanding common sense] … law is nevertheless the basis on which our society is governed and may be the only language that some will understand.”
So the queries are: Were business persons able to legally disobey the directives of police officers to shutter their businesses during the national shutdown mandate; and on what legal basis was that police action taken?
Why should a matter such as this be left flying in the those high wind rather than nailed down practically and legally to avoid unnecessary damage?
And are we making too much of this? If emergency services had to be activated as a result of a problem which itself had its genesis in the actions mandated by one of these business persons is it not simply possible to charge all costs to him/her?”
@DPD, Yes, the police had no legal authority to enforce a mere police that is binding in honour only…but the police uniform carries a coercive power beyond the law. So most people obey rather than challenge and wait for vindication in the sclerotic court system. I agree the matter needs a firm statement of principle, preferably by legal sanction.
Your last point is well mad. Any state expense directly incurred as a result of disobedience of the shutdown order should be treated as money had to the use of the disobeyer and recoverable in restitution.
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“@DPD, Yes, the police had no legal authority to enforce a mere police that is binding in honour only…but the police uniform carries a coercive power beyond the law. So most people obey rather than challenge and wait for vindication in the sclerotic court system. I agree the matter needs a firm statement of principle, preferably by legal sanction.
Your last point is well mad. Any state expense directly incurred as a result of disobedience of the shutdown order should be treated as money had to the use of the disobeyer and recoverable in restitution.”
It is interesting to note how condescending the acting PM Sealy was when he referred to how the police dealt with Bynoe.
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@ Piece
I think your argument about people not stockpiling groceries because of inadequate income etc. loses its currency when those same folks manage to empty grocery stores at the last minute when an impending disaster is at their doorstep. We are at the most a generation removed from the Friday evening/Saturday morning trek to the village shop to buy/trust the weekly essentials and Bajans by and large still shop that way at the Supermarkets. I think it is risky to buy some goods and store them in a tropical country as that flour will grow mouldy and your rice will deteriorate, also the quality of canned goods will also decline over time.
(Short story when yours truly was a sapling some hardy folks were gambling under Aberdeen Jones Club Randall in Gall Hill- the Randall had a cellar which allowed people to congregate for this type of activity- when they decided to open a can of corn beef to consume with the obligatory biscuits but the corn beef was “blown” and smelled to high heaven and that emptied the cellar more quickly that a detachment from Oistins). Bajans should only buy and store these goods if they are planning to use and replace them every three months.
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@ Well Well & Consequences
You are going to say that I have a very warped image of people particularly West Indians and most of all Bajans.
A few days ago, in the middle of this hurricane/tropical storm I was tempted to mention my “ole man unproven theory” regarding the constancy and impact of Hollywood Indoctrination.
But I said no, it was not worth the time or effort but based on your comment about the active winds, I will type it now.
go to you tube and type in thrill seekers during national emergency and you will see people doing wheelies, skiing behind cars in snow, standing in from of storm surges on the boardwalk, next to glaciers, over volcanoes, surfing waves in tsunamis ENDLESS stupidity that you nor I, who value our lives, and do not want to be part of the news article saying “authorities are still looking for their body parts”, will never do!!
It is what these idiots see and they want to be part of the 1 MILLION LIKES CREW!!
You dont really understand this phenomena do you?
You and I look at likes as people who, post reading the post that we submitted, liked the rationale of our words, and post assimilating it, vote a like.
I post my name cause I am the sort of person who if I like your sh*t I ent afraid to say so.
But these new kids on the block they click to be “part of the crowd” BECAUSE OF THE “MUTUALITY OF THE CLICK”.
Let me explain that.
If i give you enough likes, in this thrill seeker subculture, you know who I am and you WILL LIKE ME BACK and invariably, like that canned laughter syndrome, when an audio track is inserted in a stupid movie, an equally vacuous audience going laugh EVEN IF THEY DONT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE LAUGHING AT!!
My goal rather their goal is to thrill seek their way to nuff likes!! It is crazy I know but that is their reality!!
But I digress WW&C.
The TV and Internet is driving this “thrill seeking” because these dimwits that you and i gave birth to? will record it, video blog it and get likes, AND THE MORE PROFESSIONAL ONES with append an Amazon Store to their blog or advertising, and make some money.
My substantive point my friend WW&C still is, the $300 salaried, sorry wage earning people who did not get the time to shop the previous day when the weather was nicer?, took the seeming lull period “while the storm was ACTIVE, WINDS, WATER, FLOODING….ACTIVELY IN PROGRESS…..AT IT’S MOST DANGEROUS…” point ( you left out point but de ole man did not want that AC de BU Grammar Police say dat I insert a word where you did not put it heheheheh) and went to the stores which accommodated their “lateness”
I have sat and listented while some stupid? kids, young adults really, said that “they would like to see what a hurricane looked like” EVEN AFTER SEEING THE DEVASTATION OF IVAN.
My father and grandfather told me of one person who was decapitated by errant galvanize during Janet so I have a healthy respect for high winds.
Do a youtube google on the Vincentian fellow whom Matthew killed this week and see that the “quiet boy” euphemism for own way child, was, contrary to his mother’s advice, in a bathroom when he got crushed.
Hard ears won’t hear own way going feel.
There are some readers here who have storage food pantries like this but we poor peeple shop for de week, we cant afford disaster supplies
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Barbadians do not stockpile groceries because it is a country that has not had to deal with disaster in the same way as the neighboring islands. The situation has obviously encouraged complacency to set in.
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I understand the lady with Lemongrass noodle shop in Kimegrove has retracted the arrogance and apologized to the public on her facebook page……a sign of maturity, because we are all prone to errors.
ACs…..when will we be able to say the same thing for the srrogant, petty minister of government Dennis Kellman…..a leader on the island.
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“go to you tube and type in thrill seekers during national emergency and you will see people doing wheelies, skiing behind cars in snow, standing in from of storm surges on the boardwalk, next to glaciers, over volcanoes, surfing waves in tsunamis ENDLESS stupidity that you nor I, who value our lives, and do not want to be part of the news article saying “authorities are still looking for their body parts”, will never do!!”
Idiocy abounds Piece….pack mentality.
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http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/global-peace-index-2016-there-are-now-only-10-countries-in-the-world-that-are-not-at-war-a7069816.html
On another note, I have not looked at the last yet, but can hope Barbados is listed.
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“The IEP tries to define positive peace in numerical terms, giving countries scores for a range of factors including “acceptance of the rights of others”, “low levels of corruption”, “the free flow of information” and a “well functioning government”.”
Ah guess Barbados cannot be defined in these terms of peace, becsuse the rot starts with the leaders.
Iceland has the same population as Barbados, but the PEOPLE do not tolerate corruption from the leaders/politicians.
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Thanks Jeff.
This ‘policy framework shutdown’ reminds me of the absurdity of the fingerprint mandate. How in the name of the old-fashioned concept of ensuring that the donkey is in front the cart does the level of back-ass-ward-ness abound?
I can only wonder what the police officers would have done if one of those business owners had suggested politely that there was nothing requiring police intervention and invited them to come in and relax or otherwise kindly remove themselves from the premises.
We all understand the vagaries of the weather but it seems to be lost on those who support this ineffective, ineffectual and inept government policy that folks were able to use the technology available to them and acted on the knowledge that the weather conditions were going to be generally agreeable.
Of course injuries could still have been caused but the fact is that all actors on that day did so eyes wide open that there were no overpowering winds or flooding.
The discussion should not be about the business owners or the citizens who were out and about but about the ‘informal’ directive that needs to be made enforceable as Jeff said in his piece: “… law is nevertheless the basis on which our society is governed and may be the only language that some will understand.”
As also noted above a simple system of fines is quite practical for thrill seekers, recalcitrant business owners et al if Govt is serious. BUTTTTTTT…..
…The fact that the government has a ‘State of Emergency’ set of rules and this ‘policy frame’ folly clearly shows it’s the same old government officials doing the same old nonsense that shows off their same old ineptitude.
Much ado about simple stuff!
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http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/editorial/Hurricane-Matthew-and-the-promise-of-Mr-Daryl-Vaz_75881
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How can we have a whole DEM (Department of Emergency Managment) established by government to manage in times of disaster and its teeth is made of ‘suasion’?
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“It is true that Jamaica has been more prepared for hurricanes since category 4 Gilbert slammed the island on September 12, 1988. Recovery after each hurricane has been spectacular, notably the return of electricity, water and phone services.
Still, no country can ever be too prepared for these natural disasters, which are getting worse with the problem of adverse climate change. One area in which we are always woefully unprepared for hurricanes is drain and gully cleaning. The moment a disaster threatens, MPs and councillors get into a mad, last-minute rush to remove the pile-up of months of garbage. One would think that, given the relative frequency of hurricanes, or the threat of them, drain and gully cleaning would become second nature.
The people being paid to see that gullies and drains are cleaned regularly and not pose a danger to the public in times of flooding, need to have their boss pay them unannounced visits akin to what Mr Vaz did yesterday in Portland.”
That is called being proactive..a trait sensible people possess.
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David October 2, 2016 at 12:51 PM #
I have asked the question earlier………can the district emergency volunteers who have volunteered to assist persons during a crissis supposed to do nothing until the all clear……..if someone needs urgent help can they go out and knock up a shop owner nearby for some tools or nails…..these questions need answers.
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@Vincent
Wasn’t your question answered?
The DEM operates under a protocol when a national shutdown is ordered.
>
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charles skeete September 29, 2016 at 6:35 PM #
“On the issue of the National Shutdown Instruction, private sector entities/companies shall close their operation taking into account the following:(i) the provision of their disaster plans(ii) the security and operational procedures of the entity/company(iii) the welfare of the employees and the need for them to take their domestic precautions, especially those living in remote and flood prone areas, and(iv) the operators of public transportation will need to withdraw and secure their vehicles well before the impact. Consequently, staff not essential to the entity/company’s disaster plans should be released early, unless private arrangements can be made for transporting staff home safely.”
Although the above states that private sector entities /companies shall close their operation ; it is my view that ” taking into account the following” gives the employers some leeway in their decision making response to the call for a shutdown which does not appear to be mandatory.
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@Vincent, come on bro you are much more astute than that. And as David suggested your question has essentially been answered by examining what you are asking.
If you are part of the “district emergency volunteers” team then of necessity you would be designated as a first responder and you are a part of the emergency solution not a part of the thrill seeking problem.
Who engage in repairs during a disaster unless it’s on a very personal homeowner level, anyhow?
Any first responder would be tasked with getting folks to safety, wouldn’t they. And even then that is a toss up. It is impractical to attempt to save one life and automatically jeopardize the lives of the supposed saviors.
So yes in a real ‘state of emergency’ situation we must all wait on the all-clear unless its part of our own roof blown off and with it our son or daughter is dashed outside by the high wind. Then of course we rush out and risk our life to save our child.
If the neighbor comes to help that is his call but can we really be upset with him if he didn’t risk his life in a 60 – 75 mph gale.
Maybe it was stupid to stay in a house which one knew had a risky roof!
First responders are there to provide a safety net not be sacrificial lambs to ‘stupidity’ or lack of foresight.
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Look at what is scrolling at the top of the website. Guess the IT guys forgot to update the site.
http://www.dem.gov.bb/
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This is the kind of indiscipline that doesn’t encourage public confidence. >
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The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1492-1996
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pastdeadlyapp1.shtml
In this 500 year period 8 of these most deadly hurricanes hit Barbados.
10 August 1674
10 September 1675
27 September 1694
21 October 1817
10 to 11 August 1831
10 to 16, October 1870
10 to 11 September 1898
22-28 September 1955
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The one of 1898 left my great grandmother as a 38 year old widow of 14 children.
The family suffered for generations.
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Which means that Barbados IS IN THE HURRICANE BELT.
504 divided by 8 is 63.
Barbados last powerful hurricane was 61 years ago.
We can expect another of these monsters at any time.
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The businessMEN (and yes they were ALL MEN) who forced the opening of their businesses were WRONG.
They are EXPERT businessmen, but honestly how much do they know about history or weather forecasting?
I will bet my last dollar that just like the rest of us they know little or nothing about weather forecasting, and next to nothing about the history of hurricanes in the Caribbean.
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@Vincent Haynes October 2, 2016 at 7:25 AM “Based on all the above was Kellman right or wrong to open Moontown in St.Lucy to as he said assist his people?”
He was wrong.
Those men gathered at his place should have been at home looking out for their own families.
Idiots.
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A few things to “bump up the volume” of our conversation outside of the (waste foop) kudos that DEM and the minister are giving themselves
Item One. Disseminating the Message.
While there are many means to do this I would be the last person to expect that in 2016, with all these applications and internet tools that their (ii) Flood Safety – Self Help Advice (ii) Hurricane Hints for Households and (iii) Hurricane Preparedness advice tools are in PDF format.
Any doufus could do a powerpoint document and give it to the BIGLY Toon Boon enterprise dat Minister Maxine Maclean was talking bout or the IT fellers dat Ester Byer Suckoo was presenting in her soft voice to create a tool for distribution on ALL the threats that we face
Item Two.
Emergency Communications
Barring the non-availability of electricity for ISPs (and recharging one’s personal phone) one would think that the ITU would have spearheaded some alternative emergency Wi-Fi Backbone that could be available for some peer to peer communication (caveat being electricity availability and minimal infrastructural damage)
Item Three
Mobile Enabled Status Reporting Software
Again the caveat being infrastructure, one would think that with al these brainiacs around that there would be a Quick Status Tool that a citizen could touch, and like how Google Maps shows where my house is, it would notify the relevant authorities where a specific matter is e.g. a downed tree, a live power post, burst pipes, gas line breaks.
If Apple could have one of their satellite companies with 20K employees so wired, why can’t 166 square mile barbados?
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Thanks for the info Simple…..shared it with my family,
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@David October 2, 2016 at 7:58 AM “What about all the other citizens who ignored the order to remain indoors? We need to fix the problem at source.”
David I beg ya ta tell me please “what is your strategetic plan for fixing idiocy?”
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David&dpD
The point I was making was to beware of over regulation..
Once you have set the parameters,leave it to the volunteers to use their commonsense and initiative to deal with any given situation including getting a shopkeeper out of bed for some nail and galvanise before the all clear.
The volunteers will be atuned to the state of the weather and be aware of the risks.
We are creating a nanny state if govt has legislate everything.
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Sorry create simple storyboards/pictures, animations or videos of Disaster Preparedness Actions.
These can be sent to me and other bajans by whatapp like how my buddy sent my Fadda Fox video for my information.
But then again we are talking bout a Bajan agency and whu is we to expect???
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@Anonymouse – TheGazer October 2, 2016 at 8:51 AM “I resent the fact of the government telling a sane and sensible man to stay indoors during bad weather.”
Dear Anon: Look around you. Why do you believe that people are sane and sensible? Doesn’t the good Bush Tea tell us everyday that people are brass bowls?
And if those idiots who will go outside even in a category 5 hurricane get injured they then turn up at government institutions begging “please help me” then my little susie has to go through the hurricane to show up at the QEH to give them anesthesia before their surgeries.
Putting her life at risk.
Unless you are suggesting that we go ahead and do their surgery WITHOUT anesthesia.
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@Piece Uh De Rock Yeah Right – INRI October 2, 2016 at 3:25 PM “Emergency Cmmunications. “Barring the non-availability of electricity for ISPs (and recharging one’s personal phone) one would think that the ITU would have spearheaded some alternative emergency Wi-Fi Backbone that could be available for some peer to peer communication (caveat being electricity availability and minimal infrastructural damage)”
Piece are you a post independence baby?
Matthew just brushed Barbados a bit…and yet the place where I stayed was without electricity for several hours. There was a flash of lightning…I was the only one in the house who saw the flash because I am old enough to have what is called life experience…and immediately the electricity was gone, the wi-fi was gone..the internet was gone, the landlines were gone, the cell phones were gone.
I personally was not too bothered because I lived in a house without electricity for the first 13 years of my life, and without running water for the first 12, so I have the life experience to know how to get by without electricity, running water, telephone (we didn’t get one of those until I was a working adult) internet, wifi etc.
On Tuesday as soon as I saw which way the wind was blowing, I turned my refrigerator up to the highest point and stuffed my freezer with blankets and towels. On Tuesday evening I turned off my electricity, left home, came back 40 hours later and everything including the little ice cubes were still fresh and frozen, and I did not have to worry about electrical damage while I was away from home.
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@Simple Simon
I get your point. But a genuine brass bowl will find a way to hurt himself/herself.
No amount of law can prevent them from doing so…
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@abajanhowe October 2, 2016 at 7:43 AM ‘Kellman and the others saw the bottom line figures and opened their businesses not for the benefit of the public or in Kellman’s case his St Lucy people but rather to male a killing had the storm devastated the Island.”
ONE: If a storm had devastated the island, the debit and credit cards, and the automatic teller machines which are the life blood of any modern business would not work, because the electricity would not work, and the telecommunications would not work maybe for several days or for several weeks. And bad cheques would be written.
TWO: In addition a devastating storm would also devastate the finances of many, many families. And if ya have no money ya cannot shop.
THREE: i think that we have forgotten that in the Bible it says that a hungry man is permitted to pluck an ear of corn on the Sabbath day (that is he is permitted to break the commandment which forbids work on the Sabbath) in order to satisfy his hunger.
FOUR: When (not if) a devastating storm hits we will take what we need to satisfy our hunger, and the hunger of our children and grandchildren. And if the business men and lawyers and the judicial system think that we will let a law (or a commandment) that says we should not steal stop us from taking what we need by any means necessary then they are all truly living in la-la land.
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@Vincent
There is the Occupational Health and Safety Act that regulates the affairs of workers. The government needs to craft laws to support the DEM activities to protect the interest of all with the existing laws.
>
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Here is the Gospel for today:
The Lord of the Sabbath
(1 Samuel 21:1-9; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5)
“At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day. But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.”
This passage is for wunna Pharisees.
Hungry people have the RIGHT to eat.
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Past what law? their are laws on the books and we dont see lawyers and ministers going to jail. if you go out after warnings and get hurt , who will you sue? The store keeper or the customer ? Those crooks in the peoples house just looking to act like they are working making up Sheit as they go along, Better go look for the VAT and the over 400 millions dollars that the DBLP loan or took for self and never repaid,
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(1 Samuel 21:1-9; Mark 2:23-28; Luke 6:1-5)
At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. And if you had known what this means, ‘I DESIRE MERCY AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
This passage is for wunna Pharisees.
Hungry people have the RIGHT to eat.
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“Unless you are suggesting that we go ahead and do their surgery WITHOUT anesthesia.”
That would be a start to cure idiocy and bring all the other idiots to watch the surgery without anesthesia.
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@Vincent Haynes at 3:34 PM re “The point I was making was to beware of over regulation..
Once you have set the parameters,leave it to the volunteers to use their commonsense and initiative to deal with any given situation including getting a shopkeeper out of bed for some nail and galvanise before the all clear.The volunteers will be atuned to the state of the weather and be aware of the risks. We are creating a nanny state if govt has legislate everything.”
That sounds absolutely copecetate but I believe we can still accept that in the case of serious hurricane/disaster events an official all-clear is grounded in practical issues of liability for governmental activities.
Private citizens can always act to their own whims and suffer any consequences accordingly sans government liability.
If you believe you will need nails then get them well in advance. And no one should be effecting a galvanize repair in high wind. There are named tragedies with that introduction already written why would you want to fill in the blanks….WHY!
@SS your simple ripostes often belie a sage commentary. However, you seem to be doing a Poonka above. On the one hand you define how your experience led you to carefully safeguard your frozen food. Yet you lambaste as “idiots” other grown folks supposedly who just like you also have some solid direct and transferred experience from elders for making their choices to assemble at Kellman’s business.
So why do you perceive their homes were not already organized too. Tut-tut-tut.
And I concur with WW&C. Good historical info. So let it be known that YOU have warned us that we due.
DAVID…you need a new mast head warning, bro!!
And @Pieces, how you expect these DEM folks to get your practical and real recommendations on modern info sharing to the Bajan public and yet these committed civil servants can’t get their bosses to appreciate that a ‘framework’ is not a mandatory directive!!!
But all that said, I am confused how some ah we lambasting sensible Bajans and offering that they can’t make a practical decision about travelling during heavy rain and wind…particularly with non-binding policy directives blowing before them in the same damn wind.
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Correction – – copecetate: copacetic!
That’s my ‘bajan’ spelling of the word.
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http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/hurricane-matthew-direct-hit-guantanamo-bay-article-1.2814645
Matthew is happily trudging along.
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Going to turn in.
One thing is abundantly clear
There is no shortage of brain power on that 166 square miles
Which begs the question — How did we allow our island to go backwards????
Listen to others, even the dull and “the ac” 🙂
Good night to all,
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“There is no shortage of brain power on that 166 square miles
Which begs the question — How did we allow our island to go backwards????
Listen to others, even the dull and “the ac””
The leaders lack the brain power…most of the people have no such problem.
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@ The Gazer Goodnight
@ Simple Simon
It is possible for DEM to outfit the island with “mobile” generators at fixed points and provide a matrix that does not require the normal electrical grid.
Such a project would be underwritten by ITU and a forward thinking Information Society of Barbados were they not interested in (a) flying bout to conferences and (b) sucking the pooches of LIME and FLOw or whichever name dem using nowadays
You do see that your “patterns of posting” predisposed you to be someone who worked on a shift?
Now the profession is out heheheheheh.
You are a bit of a survivalist yourself judging from that blanket in the fridge act no doubt you would have seen those times when cloaccus bags were used around that wooden contraption to make ice-cream or to protect the christmas ham while suspended from the rafter in the roof.
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Steupsss
Just when Bushie thought that this subject could not possibly get more idiotic…. Simple Simom gets off the damn ZR to join the broom-stick jockey WW&C….
“ONE: If a storm had devastated the island,….” Storm shiite!!! it was a tropical depression – a big name for some damn rain….
“TWO: In addition a devastating storm would also devastate the finances of many… ” so would a tsunami ..and Stinkliar …BUT IT WAS JUST SOME DAMN RAIN.
“THREE: i think that we have forgotten that in the Bible it says that a hungry man is permitted to pluck an ear of corn on the Sabbath day” ……. It says no such thing. The Bible say that by the sweat of a man’s brow he should eat bread…. You come an pluck one of Bushie’s corns and see what happens to your ZR ass…
“FOUR: When (not if) a devastating storm hits we will take what we need to satisfy our hunger…” ……..FROM WHERE? You can barely eat in good times – in an emergency you will line up in long desperate lines… for US/UN aid…. like all other lazy brass bowls.
Look woman, poor people who catch ZRs and don’t even own a standby generator should NOT seek to advise others about what is financially expedient….
Hungry people have no damn right to eat….that ‘right’ exists only in your imagination – along with the nonsense about shutting down a whole country because a heavy shower is forecasted.
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Bushie’s heavy shower.lol
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The next tiime a category 5 “heavy shower” floats around Barbados I hope we dont see the Bushman on a ladder trying to board up his windows. ..
…….and should he fall off that ladder during that “heavy shower” and break both legs and arms…., take him straight to the hospital…no anesthesia, what would he need anesthesia for from just a “heavy shower”…lol
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@ Hants
Why don’t you stick with Hamilton nuh…?
This is Barbados boss… some roads get like that from a heavy dew….
Our road builders do not do drains…..
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The next time a category 5 “heavy shower” floats around Barbados….
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Go back to bed WW&C,….it was NOT a Cat ANYTHING. It was a tropical depression…… some damn rain accompanied with a low pressure disturbance…
…and Bushie don’t have to climb no damn ladder – just press a few buttons… 🙂
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@ Bushie,
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@Bush Tea October 2, 2016 at 8:23 PM “Simple Simom gets off the damn ZR…”
i wonder if you are jealous of the ZR men because they are young and handsome and VIRILE.
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The worse Atlantic hurricane EVER recorded hit Barbados in mid October 1780 and killed an estimated 20,000 out of a population of about 80,000.
Barbados IS in the hurricane belt.
If we fool ourselves…and let successful businessmen make meterological decisions…we will at sometime live with the consequences.
NONE of these businessmen are qualified enough or experienced enough, or even old enough (all of them were unborn or very small children when Janet hit in September 1953, so they have ZERO experience of how a hurricane actually behaves) to make meterological decisions.
NONE.
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Bushie lives in a big hurricane resistant wall house and drives a full size luxury SUV.
He does not have to go outside in a storm or hurricane because he can pay people to run errands for him.
right Bushie ?
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Why does the Nation Online censor ideas it does not agree with. Does it believe in a fee market of ideas? How does it expect to widen the public debate? Who makes these decisions?
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The very reason you complain is why the social media space has become active.
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hahahahahaha
@ Hal Austin
I find it soooo funny what you just said about the Nation “censoring comments” (you could equally say it about Barbados Today)
There are a few things that you need to be aware of Mr Austin.
They have a cookie which they send to your machine and if your browser does not allow them to place that on your device, FOR FUTURE TRACKING, you will not be allowed to post!!!
Most of them do have these features and statistics counters e.g. google analytics, doubleclick, heat sensors to see where your mouse moved to on the screen, stackpile.io for 3rd party integration
Just think of it like they need to know who you are and what do you do before, during and after you visit them.
Then, IN BOTH cases, remember who their allegiances are to – the barbados Labour party so, depending on if the cookie says you are a DLP big wig, they will let you post because the DLP is the party in Power.
But, if you are a notorious BLP supporter post the first assignment of your loyalties, read global acceptance and permission for you to post, you thereafter can post to your hearts content.
De ole man is not allowed to post pun any of the sites
Why is the BLP.org.bb site offline for all this long time?
maybe they too are working on scorecards and polidady and other monitoring apis to track and monitor a body pun dem site
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David,
It is one of the reasons why our debate is like a sixth form debating society. It is the unintended consequence of learning by rote.
You read the book, remember what the author says and repeat it like a parrot. Just look at what passes as a debate about the economy. Nonsense about foreign reserves, ignorance about financial intermediation, lack of a defined monetary policy.
Over he last eight years all these ideas and more, from the various schools of economics, pass Barbados by.
Just over a year ago two of our leading economists wrote a paper, not a single reference was past-2008, the greatest economic timebomb since the war. It says a lot about their mind set.
Had this been written for any leading university – or think tank – they would have failed or it would have been binned.
In Barbados it passes as expertise.
Instead of intelligent debate we indulge in personal attacks.
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