Back in December 2020, it was reported that there was renewed activity at La Soufriere, where a new dome began emitting strong gas, steam and magma, causing the confusion for scientists and the Government. As we approach the beginning on April and the volcanic activity continues to rise, the vulnerable people who are around La Soufriere would fairly be able to ask why has it taken this long to create a concrete plan?
One thing that 1979 taught us was the importance of forward planning. We need notice to evacuate, to understand the consequences of non-evacuation and compensation for those most impacted. To countries where natural disasters are frequent, this is a well-oiled machine; people know where their evacuation centres are well in-advance, they are encouraged to have an escape route planned out beforehand and Government’s put strategies in hand to compensate those who will lose out economically.
This plan appears to have been missing from the Government’s communications over the past 4 months. What are the plans for evacuation and why don’t we know about them? This must be a national effort and the Government have failed to prepare their own people, short of the occasional announcement from NEMO.
Often, there are very legitimate concerns for not evacuating. These are people’s entire lives and livelihoods that could be swept away and many feel concerned for the loss of their produce. Yet they must evacuate to save their own lives. The Gonsalves Government would have been better by announcing compensation plans back in December for those who might need to leave behind their entire lives owing to the explosion. Yet on this they’ve remained silent.
We are entering one of the most turbulent times in our country’s economic history. We have faced a global pandemic that will greatly impact our tourism sector, and now we are facing higher costs as imports and petrol prices are set to rise. The Government is once again failing to look after their vulnerable by not setting aside funds to help them if they lose their livelihoods in the volcano eruption.