BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - IN his address on Wednesday (Aug. 26) at the launch of two environmental projects held at the Ocean Terrace Inn, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries the Hon. Eugene Hamilton presented staggering rainfall statistics for St. Kitts and Nevis over the past six years.
In the midst of the Minister’s address, he paused to shed light on the dry spell that the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis is currently experiencing.
“In 2010 we had 54.73 inches of rain, in 2011 we had 48.63 inches of rain, in 2012 we had 37.44 inches of rain, in 2013 we had 26.27 inches of rain, in 2014 we had 29.08 inches of rain and this year we had 9.87 inches of rain.”
He went on to say: “These results represent rainfall patterns annually from the month of January to July each year.”
As the water sources are not being replenished at a greater or equivalent rate than they are being used, they are depleting and the Government has resorted to the rationing of water.
Hamilton said, “As a result of low rainfall, our fresh water supply is being threatened.”
As indicated by Dennison Paul, Acting General Manager of the St. Kitts Water Services Department, the drought situation is “a near and present danger as we are experiencing dry conditions in our wet season”.
He advised that the responsibility is on everyone to aid in the conservation of water to reverse the current drought situation.
