The politics of bad weather

A Recently, a radio call-in show host described the heated discussion surrounding the impact of Hurricane Beryl on Barbados as “storm politics.”

The passage of the severe weather system led to a fierce exchange of blame. Although much of the country’s inland infrastructure was not seriously affected by Hurricane Beryl, the damage to coastal areas was severe.

Most of the south coast’s beaches have been eroded or pushed inland, leaving some homes and coastal areas unrecognisable.

The Category 4 hurricane hit St. Vincent and the Grenadines with winds of 140 mph, with three deaths on Grenada and its sister islands Carriacou and Petite Martinique.

For us in Barbados, the worst devastation has been in our fishing sector, with over 40 boats reported damaged or destroyed.

Feelings were high in Barbadians as they saw fishermen, boat owners and those closely associated with the industry shed tears of grief as they watched boat after boat sink to the bottom of the Bridgetown fishing complex.

Among those who suffered total losses were boat owners who sailed their boats from the fishing community of Oistins to Bridgetown because they believed it was a safe port.

As a result, the fishing sector has been crippled by the loss of numerous boats and will trigger a shortage of fresh fish.

Some fishermen estimate that the massive damage and destruction to such a large number of fishing vessels could mean it will take at least a year for the industry to return to normal activity levels.

Opposition leader Ralph Thorne, MP for Christ Church South, did not mince words. He placed the blame squarely on the Mia Mottley-led government.

For his part, the SDLP leader said the government was focused on the International Cricket Council Men’s T20 World Cup and had not adequately prepared for the approaching Category 4 hurricane.

Thorne, who is in the midst of a political battle to retain his seat and revive a once-troubled opposition party, has put the government on the defensive in weathering the storm.

Of course, Prime Minister Mottley is expected to strongly defend the actions of his government, which has plans in place to inject cash into fishermen who have suffered damage or losses, as well as to set up a revolving fund.

Storm politics is nothing new. As former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said, politicians should “never waste a good crisis.”

Natural disasters can be troublesome for political leaders. Millions of Americans still have a negative view of George Bush, in part because of his administration’s slow response to Hurricane Katrina, a Category 5 hurricane that hit the United States in 2005.

What we in Barbados should also be concerned about is the knock-on effects of any impact on the fishery. Citizens are often unaware of the circular economy that exists on the island.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Barbadians have seen first-hand how closely tourism is connected to other industries.

When the local tourism industry hit rock bottom, the ripple effect spread throughout the private and public sectors. When hotels had no guests, they didn’t need produce and meat from the agricultural sector. Taxi drivers lost customers, and some were forced to return their vehicles to dealers because their income had almost disappeared for a year.

In the case of the fishing industry, the economic impact is also significant: if local fishermen are unable to meet market demand, valuable foreign exchange will be needed to import fish.

It is also important to recognise that the popular Oistins Bay Gardens, by far the island’s most popular tourist attraction, is highly dependent on a continued supply of fish.

What will be the impact on the facility if there is not enough fresh fish available? What will the fishmongers in the various markets sell if there is not enough fresh fish available?

The impact of Hurricane Beryl on the fishing industry will have employment, economic and social impacts and will require swift action.