Jamaicans collectively breathed a grateful sigh of relief that the country was spared the worst of Hurricane Beryl, which barrelled its way across the island without making a direct hit. But it was powerful and near enough to do widespread damage, especially to the coastal areas in Clarendon, Manchester, St Elizabeth, and to some extent, Westmoreland. It also left a trail of misery and devastation in the breadbasket regions of St Elizabeth and Southern Manchester.

This is regrettable because, as Minister of Agriculture Floyd Green advised, farmers in these areas had already planted and were expecting to reap their crops shortly. All these hopes were destroyed by the hurricane. In the short term the country can expect a sharp increase in the price of fruits, vegetables, and other crops supplied from these areas. Immediately, the livelihood of farmers and their families will be seriously affected. There is no doubt that given the resilience of these farming communities they will bounce back quickly. But they are going to need assistance from the Government to get back on their feet.

Many public services get tested in natural events that cause widespread devastation, such as that caused by Hurricane Beryl. And one of the most important areas of concern is the restoration of electrical power. The Minister of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport Daryl Vaz has been very strident in putting forward the Government’s expectation of a swift return of these services. Thirty-six years after the passage of one of the most impactful hurricanes to have hit the country — Gilbert — one hopes that utility companies, such as Jamaica Public Service (JPS) and National Water Commission (NWC), would have garnered the experience and expertise necessary to respond robustly to these events so that great pain and inordinate suffering is not visited upon those so impacted.

Minister Vaz has rightly indicated that while the call for the public to be patient in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane is understandable, what will not be accepted under his watch is any inordinate delay in the return of the services for which he has direct responsibility. Knowing the minister’s attentiveness to these matters, I know he will be like “white on rice” in seeing to it that these services are restored, especially to the most hard-hit areas. He has not ruled out foreign assistance in this endeavour, should it be occasioned. More power to him on this. We know the level of foot-dragging and blame game that often attend these projects at crucial times like these, not to mention the bureaucratic red tape that often stymies efforts in getting anything done.

What Jamaica and other Caribbean States experienced last week were the natural consequences of a warming planet or climate change, as it is widely recognised. Never before in our collective memories have we experienced a Category 5 hurricane forming before reaching the Lesser Antilles and Greater Antilles and this early in the season. And there is forecast of more to come.

The science and evidence of why we should take climate change seriously abound every year. The rise of sea levels in parts of the world is leading to serious migration of populations from low-lying areas to higher ground. In time, this could lead to serious problems of urbanisation as cities struggle to accommodate this influx, not to mention migration across countries as people seek safety and a better way of life.

Parts of the planet are literally burning. Even in parts of the world that never had to worry about this phenomenon for decades, there is now a worrying trend as yearly fires become a threat. Each year gets hotter than the previous one. Intense heat has led to prolonged droughts and threats to the food security of poorer nations, especially in Africa. Unless something drastic is done by world leaders, scientists warn that if the Earth’s temperature rises by 2 degrees Celsius we may very well find ourselves catapulted to a point of no return, beyond which catastrophic consequences become inevitable.

Yet some with political authority around the world spout the unfortunate narrative of denying the science on this important phenomenon. I believe the trend to more authoritarian governments will put a heavier lid on the climate discussion. Already two major authoritarian powers — China and Russia — which contribute a carbon footprint as big as Godzilla’s are not at the seat of serious conversation about this issue.

When Trump slid through for his first term as president of the United States, he pulled America from the Paris Climate Accord. He has shown no interest in dealing with the climate problem if he should get a second term, neither has the Republican Party which he leads and whose science denialism is one of its most important characteristics. In fact, Trump and his party’s posture is to give greater support to the fossil industry by removing regulations that constrain them in the production of carbon fuels.

It is not hard to imagine what an America under Trump in alliance with China, Russia, and other dictatorial powers could do to enhance the world’s drift towards the tipping point. This is one very important reason, among many others, he should not be allowed back into the White House. Citizens in these countries must wake up before it is too late and seek leadership that is concerned about these matters. Otherwise, in decades to come, our children and grandchildren will become mere fried chickens on a burning planet.

This column wishes those who suffered during the passage of Hurricane Beryl a speedy recovery. My sorrow is with the families of those who lost loved ones.

Raulston Nembhard

Raulston Nembhard is a priest, social commentator, and author of the books Finding Peace in the Midst of Life’s Storms; Your Self-esteem Guide to a Better Life; and Beyond Petulance: Republican Politics and the Future of America. Check out his podcast — Mango Tree Dialogues — on his YouTube channel. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or stead6655@aol.com.