Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 19, 2021 (SKNIS): Carlene Henry-Morton, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Transport, and Ports, has congratulated the St. Kitts Department of Meteorological Services for 50 years of service to the island’s population and encouraged the staff to maintain a spirit of excellence when performing their duties.
Mrs. Henry-Morton extended the commendation on Sunday, April 18, 2021, as she worshiped with the department’s staff at the Antioch Baptist Church at Lime Kiln Commercial Development.
Her comments were made on behalf of the Minister of Ports, the Honourable Lindsay Grant, who was unable to attend the service to deliver remarks.
The Met Office, as it is commonly called, monitors and provides weather forecasts. It also handles air traffic control for the R. L. Bradshaw International Airport.
The permanent secretary said that the services provided by the Met Office are particularly important given the changing global environmental conditions.
“The need for accuracy still remains paramount and the staff at the Meteorological Services strives to deliver reliable and dependable results recognizing the implications to safety in aviation and the potential impact on lives and livelihoods from accurate weather information,” she stated.
Mrs. Henry-Morton added that the upcoming Atlantic Hurricane Season, which forecasters predict will be above normal, requires a high level of commitment from the Met Office staff.
“To this end, the staff readily accepts the challenge to provide timely updates on weather conditions so that as a nation we can make informed decisions to protect lives and livelihoods. For this, we must say a hearty thank you for their dedication and selfless service in the past and present, and which I am confident will continue well into the future,” she expressed.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “Service with Accuracy and Reliability – St. Kitts Meteorological Services at 50.”