Jamaica Can't Handle A Category 3 Hurricane... Can Any Caribbean Country?

Hurricane Season is a lot like Christmas on email lists in the region. Any weather activity, and you're almost certain that the informal networks throughout the Caribbean will be buzzing. There's a lot of, 'I hope it doesn't affect you' underlying all of that, and there's also a lot of 'I hope it doesn't affect me'. It's an interesting thing. The Latin American lists don't mention much on these things that I know of, but Venezuala always seems to be one of the first countries to respond to disasters in it's external regions. Somehow, Venezuala's aid never seems to make it into the mass media. Very strange. Maybe Hugo Chávez isn't paranoid.

When I read 'Jamaica can't handle a category 3 hurricane: Resources just not there, says Carby, I'm amazed at how often the truth is spoken and yet not heard. We know it's probably going to be a rough hurricane season. If we don't, we should¹. At the very worst, we should be prepared throughout the Caribbean. But, as far as I can tell, we're not. Even the most wealthy country, Trinidad and Tobago, could be seriously damaged by even a level 2 hurricane hitting the Southern or Eastern coasts - as almost happened last year.

CARICOM has been gurgling and making strange noises, but if they couldn't help Suriname in it's recent flooding (but somehow managed to help Indonesia after the earthquake) then where does CARICOM stand in any emergency? It's not like the United States doesn't have worries of it's own, either. Even as they're still fixing New Orleans, they run the gauntlet with the lives of people who they encouraged to return .

The Caribbean in general can't handle a Category 3 hurricane. All everyone is discussing at this point is how fast one can recover, and between poor disaster communication, a 'Just-now' philosophy in emergency situations and a suspended disbelief which is almost overturned with each actual emergency in the region.

It falls to the community. Of course, it always does. Keep an eye on the weather.

¹NOAA PREDICTS VERY ACTIVE 2006 NORTH ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON: Residents in Hurricane Prone Areas Urged to Make Preparations.