News Release
 
Written by Roddy Heyliger, Government Information Service (GIS), Ennia Bldg., Longwall Rd., Philipsburg, St. Maarten D.W.I. Tel. 00-599-543-1162, 542-4119, Fax: 543-1169; Email: gis@sintmaarten.net; 
 
For Immediate Release: Thursday, August 28, 2008/N124
 
Be Prepared, Governor Calls on residents as eighth tropical storm forms for the season

GREAT BAY, St. Maarten (GIS) – With the eighth tropical storm – Hanna - system more than 300 miles to the North of St. Maarten, Chairman of the Emergency Operations center (EOC) Governor Franklyn Richards, is reminding residents to be prepared as the 2008 hurricane season continues to heat up.

Tropical Storm Hanna does not pose any threat to St. Maarten and is expected to continue on a northwest track moving farther away from the island. 

Currently churning in the Caribbean is Hurricane Gustav which has left more than 50 persons dead in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.  Last week Tropical Storm Fay killed another four in Haiti.

“I urge residents to maintain a state of readiness as we approach the peak month of the hurricane season, September.  I am strongly advising you to treat this hurricane season seriously, as it only takes one major hurricane to bring about devastation.

“As a nation, we pray for those who have already been impacted in recent weeks and days from the Dominican Republic to the U.S. State of Florida for a speedy recovery.  Our thoughts and prays currently go out to Jamaica and the Cayman Islands who are expected to be impacted by Hurricane Gustav within the next 48 hours.

“Residents should continue to be vigilant in the weeks to come by listening to weather reports in order to keep abreast of what is going on,” Governor Richards told the Government Information Service (GIS) on Thursday.

With six tropical storm systems already behind us, namely Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, and Fay the season is living up to what was forecasted at the beginning of the 2008 hurricane season, that it would be a busy one.  Currently tropical systems Gustav and Hanna are out in the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.

None of the systems have posed a threat to date to St. Maarten, however this does not mean that you don’t have to be prepared, because it only takes one.  

Residents, business owners and contractors have been advised from the beginning of the season to draft plans that would protect their families, business operations and construction sites.  Hopefully everyone has heeded this advice.

The hurricane season runs through November 30.

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Roddy Heyliger
St. Maarten Government Information Service (GIS)