BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – MINISTER of Foreign Affairs in the Federal Government, the Hon. Mark Brantley has indicated that as Hurricane Matthew makes its way towards Jamaica and Cuba, the Federation’s diplomatic representatives have been in touch with students there and he advised that they heed the warning of emergency personnel.
Hurricane Matthew – a Category Four storm on the Saffir-Simpson Scale - has maximum sustained winds of 140mph and is travelling at 6mph. The impact of the storm is being felt in Jamaica and Haiti and it is expected to affect Cuba early Tuesday (Oct. 4) into Wednesday.
“Hurricanes and other storms are a weather phenomenon that we experience throughout the Caribbean on an annual basis. This is a powerful storm and certainly our prayers go out to the people of Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba and all others who might be affected, including the Southern United States.
“We have been monitoring the situation very carefully of course. We have students in Cuba and in Jamaica. I can assure the public that our diplomatic representatives there have been in touch with the students. We have initiated that contact so that the students are aware that the Government is there for them and that certainly whatever assistance it can render would be rendered,” Brantley said.
Brantley said as Jamaica has prepared itself for the impending storm, the students should also prepare themselves. He also indicated that precautions have been taken at the University of the West Indies – Mona Campus.
“Of course, Jamaica, we are aware has made preparations. I have been following very closely the preparations via the announcements. So as a country I think they have put things in place and I would therefore encourage our students and our nationals there to heed the warnings, to heed the advice of the emergency personnel, to ensure that they know where the safety shelters are and to take the necessary precautions.
“So we encourage our people to be safe and to exercise good sense just as if they were here in St. Kitts. The storm is a serious matter and if there are threats, act responsibly and take heed to the warnings and take heed to the instructions that emergency personnel would give.”
Reports reaching this publication suggest that some since yesterday, some flooding has been experienced in parts of Kingston, Jamaica.
