Last Updated on July 3, 2024, 3:06 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Basseterre, St. Kitts: Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew addressed the members of the media and the nation during the Roundtable and said that the hurricane Beryl is earliest Category 5 storm to form in Atlantic which serves as a reminder of threat of climate change, particularly to small island states.
The Roundtable Conference took place on Tuesday, July 2, 2024. The Prime Minister expressed his sympathy to Caribbean nations including Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, that suffered severe damages as a result of the Hurricane Beryl.
PM Drew said that this year, a record is seen with a Category 5 hurricane in the month of June and this has occurred reason being the temperatures of the sea which are high. The temperature which are being seen now, are normally seen in the months of August or September.
“We are seeing it now in the very early part of the hurricane season and that that means that we are in for a rough ride in 2024,” he mentioned. PM Dr Drew also added that with the storms that would be coming through the region, if there is one facility that should remain standing, it should be a hospital.
He also stated that it is frightening to hear reports about the hospitals of Grenadines being destroyed and people don’t know what has happened to the patients there. “When you hear 90 plus percent of the houses and buildings were damaged and the islands have become inhabitable currently, it tells us that the climate crisis is real,” he added.
Stressing on the unfortunate situation of worsening climatic conditions and their negative impact on livelihoods further strengthens government’s resolve to transform the Federation into a sustainable island state- one that would be more resilient.
This also underscores the urgency for St. Kitts and Nevis to construct a new climate-smart hospital and climate-smart homes.
The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has also sent a shipment of disaster relief supplies to the Caribbean islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada.
The government’s sustainable island state agenda is premised on seven key pillars: Food Security, Green Energy Transition, Economic Diversification, Sustainable Industries, the Creative Economy, COVID-19 Recovery, and Social Protection.
This agenda brings with it a sense of hope for St. Kitts and Nevis as it has effectively positioned the country on the right path towards sustainability.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
