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Be Prepared Barbadians, it is the Hurricane Season

Prime Minister Mia Mottley issued the following statement last night after a meeting held with the emergency management team to prepare for the potential threat posed by Hurricane Issac – listen to Prime Minister Mia Mottley. Further to the North CAT 4 Hurricane Florence is about to slam the Carolinas. What struck the blogmaster after…

Prime Minister Mia Mottley issued the following statement last night after a meeting held with the emergency management team to prepare for the potential threat posed by Hurricane Issac – listen to Prime Minister Mia Mottley.

Further to the North CAT 4 Hurricane Florence is about to slam the Carolinas.

What struck the blogmaster after listening to the Prime Minister’s press conference was how woefully unprepared and under-resourced we are to manage a catastrophe of any magnitude. Some of us recall about five years ago when Barbados lost power for over a week in many areas when a storm passed over us, repeat, a storm. Issac is forecast to be a Category 1 when it passes about 150 miles north of the island.

The blogmaster accepts that God is a Bajan, however, out of an abundance of commonsense, Barbadians are encouraged to store non-perishable food and potable water, flash-lights and batteries, matches, etc.

Also, importantly, a way to charge their cell-phones by way of their car, a solar panel and/or a USB battery “brick”. Because of fibre delivery of land-line telephony, the instant the power goes out so does the ability to call via landlines.

Resource website:

https://www.wunderground.com/

134 responses to “Be Prepared Barbadians, it is the Hurricane Season”

  1. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Do not worry about the swamp. Mia cares
    However mother nature would have the last word on the swamp and also the final word on a society who took the swamp for granted
    Those who would be alive to see Mother Nature actions would be sorely disappointed

  2. A. Dullard Avatar
    A. Dullard

    1.The problem is non technical people!!!
    2.The GOB is mostly lawyers and many of them are just glorified fingersmiths!!
    3.Square pegs in round holes … and then the square pegs are mostly thieves!!

    Brilliant! In 3 short sentences, the root cause of most public sector issues distilled. In fact it also extends beyond the gov’t since they set policies [sic].

  3. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    @ Mariposa September 10, 2018 9:50 PM

    You are a hypocrit!

    Didn´t you tell the BU-community before that Dominica was the ideal place for Ross-University ???

  4. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    If lawyers cannot manage to get the area in which they are supposed to be experts – the Legal System – to work…
    How in God’s name can we have expected them to get really complex technological and management systems to work?

    The problem is not the lawyers – lawyers will be lawyers ..and liars… and robbers of the vulnerable….
    It is with Brass Bowls who put their faith in such clearly incompetent vultures.

    This idea that Barrow was some kind of saviour..
    …that Mia is single-handedly going to solve our problems… with NO history of such ability…
    …that OUR roles are to sit quietly and let these people do whatever they hearts desire…
    ..is so mendicant and idiotic, that we DESERVE the jobby that results…. (pun intended)

    The technical people are also just as culpable. They sit quietly by and play the same stupid game
    -EVEN WHILE SUREY SEEING THE FOLLY BEING DONE BY THE LAWYERS.

    It is only recently that we are hearing that the SCSP was ill-conceived from the start.
    WHY…????
    Where was the hue and cry?

    The whole place is messed up….

    ….grass.

  5. David Avatar
    David

    Glyne Murray answered the final part to your comment. The proponents fudge explanations and this is where curiosity to clarify issues are resolved.

  6. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Not going to get into a debate about Ross University

    However the swamp should be of more concern as govt continue to destroy one of Natures living organs known as a wetland that supply a natural habitat for all living specimen can no longer perform adequately the job for protecting the enviroment
    The continual destruction of the swamp by man made pollutants will be eventually harmful to the enviroment as its lungs become choked and unable to provide the necessary role of cleansing
    One day soon coming the swamp would be no more effective and efficient and Barbadians would pay a heavy price
    Roads and homes surrounding that area would be flooded as a dying swamp takes its last breath

  7. sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) Avatar
    sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore)

    @ Tron September 11, 2018 6:59 AM

    Don’t stress yourself pointing out hypocrites. You don’t have enuff body parts to identify the many individuals that will fit that description.
    We live in a day where integrity has basically been replaced by crony-integrity and self-importance. its similar to when corporates talk about self regulation etc. lol

    unfortunately we cannot escape theenew flanged dangled hypocrites; they can be found from the HoP, to the pulpit, to the business establishment, the school and most certainly probably your neighbourhood.

    Integrity has died or is on life support and no one seems to really care.

    But we live in a Hope. (Hope is a city in Hempstead County in southwestern Arkansas, United States)

  8. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ sirfuzzy
    Hope is a city in Hempstead County in southwestern Arkansas, United States
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    Exactly
    …and we are nowhere near there…
    Not only that, but post Dumbville, very ew of our politicians or lawyers will venture there….

    So ….. grass…

    @ David
    How can we be happy to have final decision makers on complex projects …who can EASILY be fooled by proponents who have ulterior albino-centric motives…?
    Should not final decisions be made by people who understand the consequences of their decisions
    …AND WHO WILL SUFFER SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES OF ANY FAILURE TO MAKE WISE CHOICES?

    Only brass bowls would go to lawyers for advise on major surgery… or on how to invest their money…

  9. David Avatar
    David

    Thought it interesting the Cabinet was placed in a position to question the design to your point.

  10. A. Dullard Avatar
    A. Dullard

    @ sirfuzzy
    Hope is a city in Hempstead County in southwestern Arkansas, United States
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    I thought Hope was a road up in St. Lucy, Barbados ??!

  11. A. Dullard Avatar
    A. Dullard

    @BT

    This idea that … Mia is single-handedly going to solve our problems… with NO history of such ability…

    Exactly Bushtea. Where is the track record?

  12. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Talking heads throwing a spanner to hammer a nail is a little too late
    What should be of interest and concern to technocrats is saving the swamp
    The viability of the swamp and its impact on the well being of plant and human life should be the driving force as to its survival
    A survival that if left to untouch and without concern would be the final straw

  13. sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) Avatar
    sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore)

    @ A. Dullard September 11, 2018 8:01 AM

    For the quantity of ppls that need to be re-sited Hope Rd st Lucy may see a population explosion. So the USA location may be better as we all seem to have USA lifestyle with bajan pocket and work ethics etc.

    Maybe ICE will give us a pass as long as we decide to support DJ- Trump & the Masqueraders. There is always a party on at the white house once DJ-trump is on the wheels of steel? lol.

  14. sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) Avatar
    sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore)

    @BushTea,

    Some cases in the court take 15+ years to be decided. So is that why it takes so long in Barbados for projects to get off the ground?

    We seems to be all running on Lawyer Time? and not GMT or ECT or AST? now since we are talking about “preparedness” and its more than likely we got a lawyer at the controls of the vehicle;

    THEN GRASS BE PREPARED TO MEET ASS. Fore warned is fore armed. lol

  15. sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) Avatar
    sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore)

    @BushTea

    will the below definition substitute for “our ass is grass”

    (quote)A controlled flight into terrain (CFIT, usually pronounced cee-fit) is an accident in which an airworthy aircraft, under pilot control, is unintentionally flown into the ground, a mountain, a body of water or an obstacle.[1] In a typical CFIT scenario, the crew is unaware of the impending disaster until it is too late. The term was coined by engineers at Boeing in the late 1970s.(quote)

  16. FearPlay Avatar
    FearPlay

    Is the Barbados Light and Power waiting on a hurricane to topple all of the dangerously leaning poles on the island so that they can claim hurricane damage insurance before replacing them?

    Take a drive anywhere on the island and you will see pole after pole leaning at hazardous angles just awaiting the helpful hand of a wind gust to take them out of their misery. There must be some engineering standard somewhere in the world that stipulate the critical angle which a utility pole MUST NOT exceed in order to remain safe to the public.

    Have a look also at the thoroughly unprofessional way in which fiber optic cable is left dangling on poles unfettered . Would those reams of cable be able to withstand severe gusts of wind without severely impacting the communications capability of the island after a natural disaster? Apart of course from the utterly unsightly blot on the landscape and the contribution this makes to the shoddy appearance of the island in the eyes of our visitors.

    Is it really necessary for costly legislation be enacted in order to make these companies do what is right?

  17. Nostradamus Avatar
    Nostradamus

    David,

    “It was painful to hear Halliday admit that dumping sewage in the swamp was the contingency plan for the sewage system. Really?”

    Are you quoting him? My recollection was that the contingency was for the sewage to be dumped in the bisecting canal which would then flow into the sea. Not the best option but better than dumping it in the swamp.

  18. David Avatar
    David

    @Nostradamus

    Listen to the podcast on VoB website and share your view.

  19. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @Fear Play at 11:40 AM

    I am comforted that another caring citizen has noticed the decline in maintenance of plant in public utility firms.
    I have written to a company on such a matter and there has been no effective response, only public relations clap trap. This is where we are at. Lots of talk and no walk.

  20. David Avatar
    David

    The BL&P is responsible for pole plant. Is the cost of maintenance not included in input cost approved by the FTC?

  21. Jean Avatar
    Jean

    Bush tea, sir fuzzy and Mariposa you right on the money….
    Liars
    And
    Weathercocks
    Yearning to
    Execute
    Real
    Shite

  22. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Heads should roll in the manner and way that one of Natures Natural lifelines called the swamp was treated with total disrespect.
    Nature can be patient but can also be unforgiving

  23. Freedom Crier Avatar
    Freedom Crier

    “sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) September 10, 2018 9:51 PM

    @ Chris Halsall September 10, 2018 9:25 PM

    (quote) We maybe neighbours but we not all good neighbours or our brothers/sisters keeper when things get brown/hard.(quote)

    Chris; reread. please see the use of the word “not” in the sentence.”

    THERE WAS ONLY ONE MENTION THAT WE ARE OUR BROTHERS KEEPER IN THE SCRIPTURES AND THAT IS WHEN CAIN WHO WAS A MURDERER AND COY WHEN HE ASKED GOD THAT QUESTION BECAUSE HE KNEW THAT WE ARE NOT OUR BROTHERS KEEPER.

    WE ARE OUR BROTHERS HELPER NOT HIS KEEPER, THAT WOULD INFRINGE ON A MAN’S AGENCY.

    CAIN KILLED HIS BROTHER FOR GAIN AND YOU WANT TO BELIEVE HIM?

  24. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    Barbados is perfectly prepared for any hurricane after hurricane Sinckler (CAT VI +++) tormented Barbados for ten years. A hurricane CAT III or IV is easy business.

  25. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ sirfuzzy
    Are you sure that CFIT is applicable?
    It says ‘CONTROLLED…”\
    LOL…. more like BBFIT from Bushie’s perspective….

    @ David
    The BL&P is responsible for pole plant.
    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
    BL&P….?!!??

    Did we not sell that to some albinos? for twenty pieces of silver…?
    …like the DLP also wanted to do with Hilton and Oil Terminals..?

    Why do we SERIOUSLY think that these people are interested in anything else than maximising their profits?

    How do you know if it makes most sense to them to maximise profits now …
    …and then to walk away when such profits no longer suit their purposes…?
    …like after a bad storm…?

    Oh Wait…. these are our god-parents ….right?
    Like how Bushie got adopted…?
    Ha Ha Ha …
    Grass ….
    ..or BBFIT.

  26. nineofnine Avatar
    nineofnine

    Be your own meteorologist
    https://www.star.nesdis.noaa.gov/GOES/sector_wide.php?sat=G16&sector=taw

  27. sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) Avatar
    sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore)

    Tron September 11, 2018 1:28 PM

    We are Not prepared for the economic aftermath of a economic or physical hurricane. Our ass is grass not because the grass is greener near the cess pool/pit ; but because we got some incompetent leadership over the decades. I am not very quick to blame blp or Dlp but i will blame our leadership.

    I will blame the citizens because we tolerate and condone “crap” from these leaders, and seldom hold them accountable/responsible. We let party affliction over ride our common sense but that is the defn of partisan.

    The average bajan doesn’t have squat put aside for after thre hurricane. Like wise we are not prepared for the IMF pressures although we know it was coming. “Fooling ones self seems to be a national past-time bout hay”

    By in large we are prepared to point fingers; assign blame and basically charge that it was was IT was not MY FAULT. Unless we take ownership of all processes and be willing to kick some ass; our leadership will choose the path that suits them and we like sheep will defend then even until death of the nation.

    We are prepared to fail because we are unprepared to change. Old habits die slowly? Unless they are executed!

  28. Mariposa Avatar
    Mariposa

    Barbados might as well do good with a good wash out seeing the blantant lies and cover up rooted in corruption embedded within present govt

  29. sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) Avatar
    sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore)

    @bushTea

    it is clearly CFIT as some BB were in Control or were given Control.

    llb, cpa, bsc, mba, phd ,(bbfit/cfit) etc lol

  30. David Avatar
    David

    We cannot forget EMERA and the government via NIS selling golden shares in a strategic asset can we. A legacy of the former government. SELL SELL SELL.

  31. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    off topic
    The Canadian tax court found Barbadian based Glenhuron Bank, owes the CRA 368$ M in back taxes. The decision is being appealed.
    https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/loblaws-tax-barbados-1.4816973

  32. sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) Avatar
    sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore)

    @ David September 11, 2018 2:33 PM

    Under our corporate take over laws i think that once a shareholder(s) can secure a certain percentage and then invoke the “compulsory” provision the minority shareholder(s) has no choice to to sell or they shareholding will be acquired at the offered price.

    Didnt this happen with the BHL share buyout. and Republic Bank and WIBISCO as well?

    Unless NIS is treated differently as a shareholder, they had 10% so unless i am wrong once ermera gather the required percentage the NIS may have had to sell they shareholding or have it acquired once emera .

    Please correct me if i am wrong.

  33. sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) Avatar
    sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore)

    http://www.nationnews.com/nationnews/news/95015/minority-shareholders-powerless

    Finally, to answer the question posed whether the minority shareholders of WIRD could seek to prevent UCRL from compulsory acquiring their ten per cent shares, section 186 of the Companies Act of Barbados sides with UCRL.

    The section allows UCRL (the offeror company) to acquire, if within 120 days after the date of the take-over bid and the bid is accepted by the holders of not less than 90 per cent of the shares, the shares held by the dissenting offerees or shareholders (i.e. ten per cent).

    The reality is that minority shareholders do not, as a rule, have any powers in Barbadian companies that could have a significant impact on their managerial, operational and financial policies.

    As a result of this, fundamental and legislative changes are being made in some progressive countries to tilt the balance away from the majority so as to give more meaningful rights and power to minority shareholders.

    Douglas Skeete, a chartered accountant, is interim president of the Barbados Association of Corporate Shareholders.

  34. David Avatar
    David

    @sirFuzzy

    The NIS and government could have played a leadership role to dissuade others from selling. Instead Tony Marshall advocated selling and it would not have taken much for greedy shareholders to dump their shares given the capital gains.

  35. sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) Avatar
    sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore)

    David September 11, 2018 4:12 PM

    I am not too worried what they did. That is confined to history etc

    i want ot know if they have a choice given the laws on the books?

    We al have opinions but the facts are hard thing to get around.

  36. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    What is missing, is Barbados needs to ensure that any sale of a local business benefits Barbados. Thereby the GoB would have the right to block certain sales. In the WIRD-UCRL above, the latter is some flow through entity incorporated in St.Lucia ultimately owned by Maison Ferrand (if my memory is accurate). IF Rum is vital to Barbados, then allowing a foreign entity to own one of the largest production facilities is questionable. The challenge was, GEL seemed incapable of marketing the finished goods, and selling bulk rum to the same Maison Ferrand and others wasn’t profitable. At least some of this, stemmed from the WIRD acquisition of a 33% share in National Rums of Jamaica years before, giving WIRD huge production ability.
    At least for now, R.L.Seale seems to be figuring out how to segment markets, and produce a product which they can sell, and make money at.

  37. John Avatar
    John

    http://www.meteofrance.gp/previsions-meteo-antilles-guyane/animation/satellite/antilles-guyane

    The bands are getting closer!!

    Still too early to say what will happen.

    Tomorrow we will know a bit more of what will happen on Thursday.

  38. sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) Avatar
    sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore)

    @ NorthernObserver September 11, 2018 6:32 PM

    On paper the govt can do such a thing.

    But if the govt seeks advice from unprofessional/biased experts or some form of bribery is taking place how can we tell or know that govt officiasl have not be corrupted thus approving the sale of a vital national asset.

  39. John Avatar
    John

    Slight weakening, wind speeds estimated at 55 down from 65 yesterday.

    Has moved slightly north, 14.6 N vs 14.4 N yesterday.

    Still too early.

    Helene behind it is a lot stronger and a lower pressure.

    Probably act to slow down Isaac which is not good!!

    We will see tomorrow.

  40. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    @Fuzzy
    one can never tell…..anybody anywhere can be corrupted….yet some form of potential safeguard is better than none? Barbados is still capable of having independent bodies free from influence. Look at BNTCL and the FTC.

  41. akenatenI Avatar
    akenatenI

    This is how I will design my next home.
    https://youtu.be/7-wCS_Srs-o

  42. akenatenI Avatar
    akenatenI

    https://youtu.be/jxsSBHTFk3w

  43. David Avatar
    David

    Latest satellite map.

  44. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) September 10, 2018 9:07 PM “Cellphones are of a secondary importance( i am sure some will disagree) but we need to be sure our water supply is safe and secure and sufficient.”

    True. Cell phones are not that important for those of us who did nt own a cel phone until we were older than 50, and did not have access to a landline until we were adults, and did not have electricity until we were teenagers, and did not have running water at home for all of our elementary school years.

    CLEAN DRINKING WATER IS CRUCIAL.

    Enough FOOD to last for at least a month. Food in the house and food in the land. We need as a matter of national security to cultivate much more of our land. A Grenadian friend told me that they would have starved were it not for the green bananas from the banana trees fallen during Ivan. Green bananas, yams, sweet potatoes, pumpkins will keep for weeks, and in the case of yams will keep for up to 12 months without refrigeration (Why have we stopped growing yams, that most resilient of food crops)

    Enough MEDCINE for a month.

    Adequate property INSURANCE.

    Enough SKILLED TRADES PEOPLE. Doctor, lawyers, insurance executives, politicians and cabinet Ministers cannot rebuild our houses, because sadly many of them do not know one end of a hammer from another.

  45. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    Life insurance too. In my family great grand father died in the hurricane of 1898. Like many hurricane related deaths he did not die in the hurricane, but in the aftermath, his immune system weakened by overwork–he was a carpenter–and wearing wet clothes for days of weeks after the hurricane. He died of pneumonia weeks after the hurricane. He left a 38 year old widow with 14 children, and another lady with 4. So 18 children lost their father.

    So life insurance. If you should die what will become of your dependent children?

    And plenty of dry clothing stored in water proof bags/bins/barrels.

  46. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    @sirfuzzy (i was a sheep some years ago; not a sheep anymore) September 10, 2018 9:07 PM. A five gallon pail is not that big but having five of them begins to take up space. Now having a four person family means you must secure 20 five gallon pails/bucket as suggested. 20 of these in a average bajan house makes it kinda hard to contemplate. Just imagine 20 pails being stored in small government rental apartment on the upper floor. Acutally getting the pails/buckets maybe not be as easy as some thing.”

    Four person family in a 2 bedroom government unit? Stack the buckets two high. Store 4 each in the bedrooms, 4 in the bathroom, 4 in the kitchen, 4 in the living/dining area, perhaps in all that lovely “wasted” space under the kitchen and or dining table.

    Watch our for your curious toddlers. My mother told me that before the days of running water in virtually all homes, drowning in buckets of water was a fairly common cause of toddler deaths. The curious toddler would lean in to look at the water, tip into the bucket, and then the drowning happened in seconds.

  47. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    A couple of brief showers last night, before 10 pm. May have been others but I was asleep. It started to rain at about 5 this morning. It rained for a couple of hours, then stopped. Light rain has just started. Very grey/overcast.

  48. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    No wind, yet.

  49. Simple Simon Avatar
    Simple Simon

    Moderate rain now. No thunder or lightning, yet.

  50. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Any uh wunna got a monkey ?

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