Date: Sun 22-May-1994
Paper Page: 23A
Publication: Sunday Sun
Byline: Warren Alleyne

IN MAY 1829 Barbadians were feeling great concern by "the extraordinary continuance of a drought" that was in its seventh month. Except for light occasional showers at rare intervals, no rain had fallen since the previous September and many wells had gone dry in the country. A law had banned the importation of food commodities, hence the population, having been thus forced to depend upon locally grown food, naturally had become alarmed by the prolonged lack of rain. The first break in the long drought occurred at long last on June 8, when rain fell in St. Philip and Christ Church, then one week later, there were heavy downpours, accompanied with thunderstorms, over the whole island.