Earl Moxam, Senior Gleaner Writer

Many homeless persons in the capital city Kingston were left to the mercy of the hurricane. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

As Jamaica's south-east coast began feeling the first effects of Hurricane Dean yesterday morning, a small group of Jamaicans was already having a far worse experience.

Urgent calls started coming in to the mainland from a small group of men and women marooned on the Pedro Cays, more than 50 miles to the south, and facing the brunt of the assault from the Category Four hurricane.

Opposition Leader Bruce Golding, who received one of the calls for help, told The Gleaner that he subsequently contacted the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and was told to convey to the group the army's permission to break into its Coastguard building on Middle Cay (one of three that make up the Pedro Cays chain) and take shelter there.

Sean Taylor, vice-chairman of the Jamaica Fishermen's Cooperative, said that calls started coming in from as early as nine o'clock in the morning from the marooned group.

"They started calling relatives and friends saying things were getting more difficult than they expected," he said.

Obviously upset

An obviously upset Taylor said that this need not have happened because all persons on the cays were put on notice by the JDF a week ago to leave the cays ahead of the onset of the hurricane.

"We are always adamant that whenever the warning is posted by the officials, you must heed it and make the necessary preparations. The Coastguard commander should forcefully remove them. They should see to it that they leave," he said.

Ironically, Taylor said, some of those who remained on the cays for this hurricane also ignored similar warnings to leave during the passage of Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and narrowly escaped death on that occasion.

This practice of ignoring such dire warnings was a matter of great concern, said Golding.

"In the future, we may need to be more forceful; we perhaps need to enact legislation to give the Coastguard authority to lift people from the cays even when they are reluctant to leave," he said.

It is a position that is shared by Dean Peart, the minister responsible for disaster preparation and response.

Responding to the self-inflicted plight of the Pedro Cays group, Peart said, "This is a regular thing. Who is going to send a helicopter at this time to take them home? When you see a Category Five hurricane approaching, you must move! They are blasted mad!" the minister said with characteristic frankness.

earl.moxam@gleanerjm.com