PM Gonsalves urges adopting a pro-active approach for the 2023 hurricane season

Regardless of the predictions for the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season, Vincentians are being cautioned against adopting a lax attitude.

This advice has come from the Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves as he delivered a message to mark the start of this year’s hurricane season.

Predictions from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has said the Atlantic hurricane season will be “near normal” with a range of 12 to 17 total named storms of which five to nine could become hurricanes, including one to four major hurricanes which could be category three to five.

The Prime Minister, who also has responsibility for Disaster Preparedness, said although the 2022 hurricane season did not have huge weather systems, heavy rainfalls and some small tropical storms caused significant damage in some parts of the state.

“The predictions regardless of what they are, we have to be prepared because we can’t say that because it might be average or below average. We didn’t get a blow last year, we got a series of small events but not a huge one, we can’t say that we drop our guard. Absolutely not.”

Gonsalves also said that despite the drought conditions which have persisted over the last three years, heavy rains are in the forecast.

“Data from the Met office has shown that over the last five years there has been a decrease in the annual rainfall, from 2018 to 2022 with as much as 30 percent reduction in some areas. The average annual rainfall right now is about 85 inches. This trend of drier spells amidst downpours periodically and storms and hurricanes, this is what we have to be prepared for.”

In October 2022, St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) experienced heavy rains which resulted in flooding and damage to some retaining walls. The previous month, feeder bands associated with Tropical Storm Fiona resulted in flooding, lahars, landslides and power outages that affected large portions of the mainland.

The Prime Minister urged Vincentians to analyse the vulnerable areas in their surrounding and make the necessary preparations.

He said the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) has been conducting training in logistical support and warehouse management ahead of the season, which began on June, 1.

The Caribbean Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) too has been upping their readiness for the hurricane season with new plans being revealed at a press conference from their Barbados office on June, 1.

CDEMA’s Executive Director, Elizabeth Riley told regional journalists the organization launched its 2023 – 2027 strategic plan which includes training across all participating Member States in the area of logistics.

Despite the region’s indebtedness to CDEMA, Riley said support for the region will not be negatively affected.

“Yes, the challenge persists and it is not only one which affects CDEMA, it also impacts other regional agencies. Will it impact our support to participating states? I will say at this time, no. We have currently a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office to support the financing for response activities in our states. So, when we go operational, we have predictable financing.”

Riley also announced a partnership with Global Support and Development (GSD), a humanitarian organization with the mission to respond to disasters.

GSD has provided CDEMA with a state of the art humanitarian marine vessel, the M.V Dawn, which will be posted in Caribbean waters later this month. Riley said the vessel is a “big deal” for the region as it can assist greatly in the movement of relief supplies between territories.

“We have discussed the capabilities of the vessel which includes capacity for carrying relief items, including containers. As you know we have limited assets across our competing states, so having additional support through this arrangement really brings control on how we respond,” Riley said at the press conference.

The 2023 hurricane season comes to an end on November 30.