The 2013 hurricane season opens on Saturday, June 1 – and that's when NEMO will begin to take an active role in monitoring the development of tropical storms and hurricanes. While doing that, NEMO will take the lead in informing and mobilizing the nation with their disaster preparedness plans.
And to note the seriousness that they take that responsibility, the NEMO directors today held a press conference to update the nation. NEMO Minister Godwin Hulse gave a presentation outlining the tough policy that his ministry will be operating by for 2013.
Here's what he had to say:
Hon. Godwin Hulse - Minister of NEMO
"The state is prepared to assist all the individuals of this country to be safe in the event of a disaster, prepared to assist to be as safe as possible. The state cannot and will not save your life - that is for God and we take no such credit. I open with that, because too many times there is the misconception that 'well there is a hurricane coming, weh unno the do?' and I want the public who sees this tonight to understand it is what you will do for yourself, because it is your responsibility to preserve, as best as possible, your own life and to help to prevent accidents to yourself and to look after your property. The state is prepared to assist and will do everything possible to HELP, is the operative word. That means that when we say it is time to move, get moving. We will not go back two or three times to assist you if we get there and you say 'cho man, me no gwein no way'; we will not return, we cannot put the lives of our operatives in danger when you are resistant to being assisted - let us be very clear. We do not guarantee that the shelter you go to will withstand a category four or five hurricane; as you know the shelters are schools, churches, community centers, non of which NEMO built; we found them, this is our Belize, we do not necessarily adhere to all the construction standards that we should so while NEMO has put its best to ensure that the shelters are reasonably safe, we do not guarantee the shelters. We say they are better than where you live and that is why we ask you to move"
The theme for this year's hurricane season is "Reducing the threats from Climate Change, Disaster Preparedness begins with YOU".
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