Eye on Joyce

Publication: Sun on Saturday
Paper Section And Page: 1
Paper Date: Sat, Sep 30, 2000
Byline: by Terry Ally

BARBADIANS don’t think Joyce is on a joyride.

Once the highly unpredictable tropical storm was reported on its path south of Barbados, and the distance was reduced to 700 miles, Government, business people and citizens began emergency preparations, taking the challenge seriously. Up to Press time, Joyce was forecast to pass about 22 miles east of Barbados with top wind speeds of 66 miles per hour. But this prediction will change within the next 36 hours when weather patterns are due to affect the island.

Later today the picture will become clearer whether Joyce will make a direct hit, skirt the island, or miss it totally. The earliest indication will come when the first watch or warning is issued.

Director of the Barbados Meteorological Services, Chester Layne, said that Joyce remained a potential threat to the island and that Barbadians should not let their guard down just because her top winds decreased yesterday.

"It is still far enough and has time to intensify and develop into a significant system by the time it reaches us," he told the Saturday Sun.

Acting Director of the Central Emergency Relief Organisation (CERO), Clive Lorde, said that Joyce’s long run-up to Barbados provided ample time for Barbadians to prepare and replenish emergency supplies. Acting Prime Minister David Simmons met in a strategy session with CERO’s National Disaster Management Committee and members of the private sector yesterday.

All Government departments shut down yesterday and all four-wheel drive vehicles were placed under the control of CERO later in the evening. The first set of businesses brought out their storm shutters as well.

Airlines are monitoring the cyclone and will determine schedule changes today, as Grantley Adams International Airport will have to be closed if Barbados is threatened.

Prime Minister Owen Arthur, in England, and Deputy Prime Minister Billie Miller, in Jamaica, cut short their trips to return home today.

Brisk business was reported in some hardware stores and major supermarkets from early afternoon.

"People are definitely taking it seriously," Sean Agard, manager of Harvest Mart, Oistins, Christ Church, told the Saturday Sun.

Some others did not report urgency among shoppers.

The last bulletin before news time placed the centre of Joyce near 10.5° north and 51.0° west, or 600 miles east-south-east of Barbados, traveling due west at 16 miles per hour. The longer the cyclone takes to curve, the closer its path comes to Barbados.