Acting too late

THERE are lessons to be learned from what unfolded in relation to the weather this week, particularly in relation to the Government’s response. That response was disjointed and deficient.

The Ministry of Education took far too long to close schools, while the Office of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Communications acted presumptuously and prematurely in denying that such a closure was imminent.

On Thursday morning, just as schools were due to begin classes, Minister of Education Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly posted on social media that they would be closed because “the TT Meteorological Service has just upgraded the adverse weather alert from yellow to orange.”

This was already too late. Many students – many of whom must start their daily treks early because of traffic – would have already been en route to or, indeed, been left stranded in classrooms.

Additionally, parents would not have had a chance to arrange childcare and would not have been able to give employers notice of their need for time off.

Contrary to what Dr Gadsby-Dolly stated on social media, the general weather alert in place on Thursday morning was still yellow (monitor conditions). An orange-level riverine flood alert from the previous evening had been updated – though not upgraded (orange means: secure life and property).

This aside, the ministry knew enough long before yesterday morning to take action.

On Wednesday, Dr Gadsby-Dolly herself was already granting approvals for the closure or early dismissal of some schools at their principals’ request.

The Ministry of Works and Transport had partially opened the Priority Bus Route. The University of the West Indies had already suspended all in-person learning.

The second yellow adverse-weather alert, also on Wednesday, had noted that the forward speed of the system affecting the country had increased and its impact was being felt earlier than projected. In other words, the weather was getting worse and worse.

Instead of acting commensurate with this, officials went in the opposite direction.

The Government Communications Division issued a media statement saying the Prime Minister had not ordered schools closed and further saying that approvals for closures “in areas that are affected” were being granted by Dr Gadsby-Dolly.

The effect of this – and it is an effect officials should have been sensitive to – was to downplay the possible need for closure, at the very moment when all the evidence was saying otherwise.

Nobody has a crystal ball when it comes to the weather. And nobody wants any more unnecessary disruption of our society post-covid19.

But the Government itself has, in recent times under Local Government Minister Faris Al-Rawi, frequently put the country on notice in relation to far less damaging systems.

Those past efforts were laudable – and only underline the errors made this week. With the prospect of more, and more serious, bad weather looming, thanks to climate change, the country needs adequate, swift, seamless preparation by all concerned, including joined-up government.