Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Major St Clair Leacock confirmed that the government’s emergency response apparatus operated effectively during the recent flood emergency, while calling for a long-term transformation in national disaster awareness.
Addressing the national update, Deputy Prime Minister Leacock reported that inter-agency coordination commenced between 3:30 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. on the morning of the storm, bringing together the Ministry of National Security, the Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, NEMO, and national media outlets.
He commended the Special Services Unit (SSU) of the police force for acting as immediate first responders at the flooded Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, assisting healthcare workers with water clearance.
Leok underscored that law enforcement maintained strict public order throughout the event, preventing opportunistic crime or looting during recovery operations. He also commended public utility teams, noting that Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA) leadership worked continuously to restore water services to prevent prolonged economic and educational shutdowns.
Highlighting grassroots assistance, the National Security Minister praised local citizens—such as a West Kingstown resident who cleared blocked thoroughfares using his own chainsaw without seeking payment—as evidence of deep public goodwill toward national recovery.
However, Minister Leok urged citizens and policymakers to confront underlying vulnerabilities, particularly squatting along riverbanks in flood-prone areas like Buccament. He emphasized that addressing repeat disasters requires moving beyond post-event recovery toward enforcing building codes and building a proactive disaster management culture.
“We have to develop a disaster culture in the Caribbean… and always be ready,” Leok stated, observing that damaging weather events often strike when public vigilance drops.
Leacock also raised urban planning considerations, urging state engineers to examine whether recent infrastructure developments in Kingstown have altered water runoff patterns between Heritage Square and North River Road. In closing, the Deputy Prime Minister defended the SVG Meteorological Services, praising their technical competence and forecasting accuracy during national weather emergencies.
