PM urges preparedness for 2005 hurricane season

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves and Disaster Preparedness Coordinator Howie Prince took to the airwaves Wednesday to remind Vincentians to be prepared for what has been predicted to be an active hurricane season.

This broadcast coincided with the official start of the 2005 hurricane season on June 1.{{more}}

The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) is more than prepared with its brand new headquarters already operational and staffed even though there has not been an official opening of the facility as yet.

Meanwhile, there has been a call for more explicit support from the political directorate and a warning to Caribbean citizens not to rely only on Government-level hurricane preparedness.

These were among issued raised by Coordinator of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA) Jeremy Collymore at a news conference in Barbados.

The news conference came against the backdrop of the just concluded 15th Meeting of the Board of Directors of CDERA and news from three major hurricane-forecast agencies that the Caribbean should brace for a season nearly twice as active as 2004.