IT’S BETTER TO BE safe than sorry.
This adage proved true for many Barbadians yesterday as they carefully monitored what was first described as a tropical disturbance early Tuesday and later upgraded to Tropical Storm Matthew.
Officials from the Barbados Meteorological Services were on the ball from early issuing bulletins that kept the nation abreast of all developments pertaining to the system.
Barbadians, who are usually a little more laid back and last-minute in their preparation for any approaching weather system, seemed to be taking heed from very early, as they were out in droves at supermarkets stocking up on food and other essential supplies.
Throughout the day, they were also glued to their radios, televisions or logging on to the Internet to keep up to date with all the social media posts about the weather.
Met officials were also not taking any chances with this system, which was initially expected to dump as much as four to six inches of rain on the island, and had the potential to cause serious damage from resultant flooding.
Armed with all this information, many Barbadians took every precaution.
Many also paid close attention to the announcement by authorities that there would be a shutdown of normal activities starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Most businesses, including gas stations and supermarkets, closed early. The national bus system was halted at 8 p.m. and Grantley Adams International Airport closed at 9:30 p.m.
While some may have questioned the logic of such measures, which in some quarters were deemed extreme, those responsible for the Met Office should today feel vindicated by and satisfied with the steps they took to protect the people of this country. Director of Meteorological Services Hampden Lovell yesterday noted that while they were accustomed to getting licks from the public when situations like this arose, he urged Barbadians to trust his team.
Unfortunately, there were those who still ignored the cautions given and proceeded to question the Met Office’s predictions.
It also appeared that many who were not considered part of the essential services still ventured outside despite the all-clear not being given. This prompted a further caution from officials for them to stay indoors.
Overnight Tuesday there were some showers, hardly amounting to a serious threat, and by early yesterday there was the proverbial calm before the storm. In the 11 a.m. bulletin, the system was then upgraded to a tropical storm and by mid-afternoon, the full effects were felt with strong winds and driving rains.
In addition to the unnecessary and unfair pillorying of the Met Office, too many Barbadians appeared eager to share photos on social media highlighting instances of flooding and other activities that would have raised fears among some. However, it turned out that many of these were either not from Barbados or were old local scenes.
On all these matters we can and should do better. The 2016 hurricane season still has several weeks left and we admonish Barbadians not to repeat the unacceptable behaviours of the past 48 hours. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.