Will BVI infrastructure survive 2024 hurricane season?
Forecasters at the Colorado State University Tropical Meteorology Project are warning that the Caribbean and the United States will likely see above-average levels of storm activity during the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which begins June 1.
The forecasters say the Atlantic basin is projected to see 23 named storms throughout the season, which ends November 30. Eleven hurricanes are expected to form, and of those, five are expected to develop into major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or stronger.
Dr Phil Klotzbach said higher-than-average sea temperatures will provide heat that will encourage storm development.
With this prediction, residents are left to ponder whether the territory’s infrastructure will be able to bear one or more strong hurricanes that are forecast for the region. And while the government has embarked on its mission to rehabilitate some 38 miles of roads, they may not be able to accomplish this feat by June 1 or even by the end of 2024.
Additionally, the battered roadways which were damaged during the 2017 hurricanes, were further gutted by Tropical Storm Phillippe, which paid the territory a short visit in 2023. Residents continue to call for comprehensive rehabilitation, but Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has stated that he will need to borrow some $100 million to do the necessary repairs.
However, there is no indication that the government has taken steps to secure the funds needed to start the critical roadworks.
In the meantime, while residents may not be able to improve the battered infrastructure before the start of the hurricane season, the BVI’s Director of Disaster Management Jasen Penn said that while conditions and expectations can change as the season develops, the active forecast should prompt residents to prepare early for the possibility of seasonal storms.
“The reality is that regardless of the forecast, it remains important for persons to take steps to prepare because just one storm coming to our area can be devastating,” Penn said.
He noted that forecasters predict a 66% probability of a major hurricane tracking through the Caribbean Sea, compared to 47% probability in an average year.
Penn also said, “Probabilities are not certainties, but I would encourage all of us to take all steps possible to be ready for seasonal storms. As we often say, it is better to prepare and prevent than to repair and repent.”
As the hurricane season approaches, residents are urged to monitor local weather reports, which are shared daily via the DDM website and social media channels. Updates are more frequent when a system poses a potential threat.
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The Joke of the Month. What Infrastructure? Talking about hurricane pray we don’t get too much rain. Our infrastructure is like a wine glass on an outside table on in a gut.
What infrastructure?
Do you have your last years 2023 audited accounts ? No well then can I see 2022 ? No! No accounts available since 2017 and you want to borrow $ 100,000,000!
The invisible one
Considering the vulnerability of everyone in hurricanes the funds for the Musicfest should be divested to residents to prepare for the hurricane season (before and after).
Yes
what infrastructure ???
The infrastructure that we were offered $300,000,000.00US loan to fix but refused to accept since we were a drug fueled government that we did not want to expose to the world.
That infrastructure that suffers as we would rather spend money to have a free concert and give out free money to family and friends pretending to be farmers and fishermen than rebuild our infrastructure. Biggest hurricane season yet and we still haven’t cleaned up from 2017.
can’t even survive it’s own sewage system
I bought atotal of three different vehicles dating back fifteen years and more. Every one of them were destroyed not by accidents, but by the horrible unkept roads.
Yet every four years there are funds being allocated for road repair and maintainance. Yet none of that never happens. So where does the money go?
And sadly, beyond their immediate interest, it can be posited that the UK cares nothing about how these territories government ae run financially. They truly carenot else we would see measure coming from them to the problem.
Hence, theirCOI shenanegans was, as was stated, a the results of a personal vandetta between tow powerful individuals, one more powerful than the next, having one now sitting in ail.
On the other hand, there seems to be some very serious irregularities occuring from the outside looking in.
Onthe one, they are paying themselves huge sums of money as salaries and perks. And alsoeven more huge sums upn exiting government.
While the infrastructure o thecountry fall into shambles. The people increments are not being paid. There are only exorbitant spending being done, most of which are probably reverting right back into swcret bank accounts.
This was and is a crooked government from incption. Itneeds to be stopped and dismanteled from the top down.
is inferiorstructure which has none of the attributes of infrastructure.
Typical examples of infrastructure are well built and maintained public roads, buildings, parks, service systems(electric, water, sewage, drains, etc), reliable and comfortable transportation systems, communication systems, education systems and the conscientious government employees who operate all the above.