The Tribune

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis took his warnings over climate change to Abaco on Friday.

At a symposium there, he said that all islands in The Bahamas are vulnerable to climate change and weather threats, especially hurricanes.

Of course, the people of Abaco know that better than most – and Mr Davis was quick to recognise that fact, given the impact of Hurricane Dorian on Abaco and Grand Bahama three years ago.

He also pointed out the scorching temperatures this summer, but added that we may look back on these past two summers as among the coolest. He said: “It is a sobering thought. But the mention of the name ‘Dorian’ gives us even greater pause for thought.”

While we agree that the signs are indeed sobering – and also agree on that pause for thought, a question hangs in the air that has yet to be answered. We all recognise the danger of hurricanes, we have long talked of the threat of climate change so - what are we going to do about it?

Mr Davis spoke on Friday about the recent regional conference in The Bahamas, focused on building a consensus for the United Nations negotiations on climate change.

He said: “This was historic for many reasons, not least because our country has now firmly stepped up to take an influential role in the global response to climate change. While issues of funding, carbon credits and so on grab many of the headlines, for us here at home, climate change is already affecting our way of life. More so than ever before, we need to be prepared.”

All well and good, so how are we preparing? International negotiations obviously have a place, not least of all in securing funding to compensate for the effects of climate change and to help fund preparations for what is to come. But in practical steps here at home, what are we doing?

Back in February, Mr Davis said his administration was working on a climate change plan to be released “in the coming months” that would begin with raising awareness about climate change in The Bahamas.

He said the country was developing web-based tools to monitor the impact of changing sea levels and is revising building codes as we face the prospect of more intense weather.

Months have come and months have gone and we haven’t seen that plan appear yet. This week’s memorial events for those affected by Hurricane Dorian are a keen reminder of the dangers we face from major climate events, but are we substantially any safer today from the impact of storms than we were three years ago?

For all the international talks and diplomacy – and make no mistake, those are a vital part of focusing the world’s attention on the need for action – there seems to be a disconnect between the supposed urgency we talk about in such meetings and the pace of change here on the ground.

So let us see this plan, Mr Davis, we would dearly like to know what’s in it.

Roadworks

Motorists may be frustrated with the prospect of the Village Road roadworks continuing until November – but ought it really be a surprise?

Back in June, when The Tribune asked for an update, engineer Albrion Symonette said that the project was estimated to be fully completed by November anyway.

He said: “In a worst-case scenario we want to be completely finished with everything by November, just in time for school to reopen, which is our intention.”

Mr Symonette was wildly wrong on the date that school would reopen – but it looks like he was on the money about when the roadworks would be completed.

Not that such accuracy will bring parents stuck in traffic any comfort…