The Chairman of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Governor Franklyn Richards last week was indeed correct to say that the nation should remain prepared and ready to take action, because the possibility still exist for storm systems to form which was very much evident with the formation of Hurricane Paloma in the Western Caribbean.
In one of my writings in the week of September 14 titled, "Don't be fooled by the lull," I mention was made that the islands of the North Eastern Caribbean have dodged the hurricane bullet so far, and that the hurricane season is not yet over. So said, so done...about one-month later - October 16th - the 15th storm of the season, lefty travelling Hurricane Omar at a category three passed approximately 50 miles from St. Maarten causing an estimated damage to the private sector of more than US$100 million according to claims filed with Gulf Insurance.
Damage assessment for the public sector is estimated at more than Naf.26 million which includes infrastructure, drainage systems, beaches, etc. The Island Government has stated that it would be rearranging priorities in the budget for the Social Economic Initiative (SEI) to focus more on covering costs in connection with damage caused by Omar's passing.
The staff and management at GEBE should be commended for the quick restoration of electricity and water services within 72 hours after the island experienced a category three hurricane. For example, St. Croix which also experienced category three hurricane conditions, 95 per cent of electricity to homes was restored 10 days after the hurricane - they had 20 additional linemen brought in from St. Thomas - had passed and remaining connections were expected to take another 10 days. Up to 10-days after Omar water services in St. Croix were still not fully restored.
Omar's reach extended as far South as Grenada. Island impacted by Omar's storm surge were Dominica, St. Lucia and St. Vincent & the Grenadines. These islands experienced widespread flooding and significant coastal damage to roads, sea defences, ports and utilities from sea swells.
Certain areas in Barbados recently suffered from severe flooding caused by heavy rainfall. This was not linked to hurricane Omar, but has resulted in the Government of Barbados starting a full-scale analysis of the impact due to the weather event. Plans are already in the making to restructure and upgrade the entity responsible for drain management, namely the Drainage Unit. The new entity would be given the resources to oversee an ongoing, year-round drainage assurance programme. It won't be a programme only during the rainy season, but a properly sequenced drainage programme placing emphasis on cleaning drains while ensuring there is adequate drainage, particularly outside of the rainy season.
There are a number of lessons to be learnt in preparation for the 2009 hurricane season, but also for the long-term. Other Caribbean islands in the area have also come to the same conclusion.
For example, in Antigua, the Development Control Authority (DCA) will be stepping up its efforts to ensure that houses are not built in low-lying areas that are usually susceptible to flooding. According to the DCA, in terms of general construction methods, the homes were acceptable but in terms of the physical planning and zoning, this has to be reviewed and that residents in low-lying areas as well as coastal communities will have to move out during a hurricane threat.
The Antigua Ministry of Public Works will also start to develop long-term plans for the re-engineering of water drainage systems in specific areas so that flooding will not happen on the same scale that it has in the past.
As a society, we must bare in mind that we are in a period of increase hurricane activity and that the strength and severity of these systems have been linked to global climate change. As we move forward with our socio-economic development as civil society, we need to be fully cognisant of this and build and prepare in a sustainable manner.
Hurricane Omar was a wake-up call. It was a lesson in the value of pre-emptive action that must not be ignored.
Roddy Heyliger
