‘Faster and more furious and it’s not Vin Diesel’: Joe Issa Bewails Nature’s Increasing Force of Destruction

As climatologists remain in awe about the speed at which Hurricane Irma developed from Category 1 to Categary 2, the 63 square mile Caribbean territory of Barbuda, in the aftermath, became uninhabitable for the first time in 300 years – a sign which Executive Chairman of Cool Corporation Joe Issa says means the earth is heating up.

“I am no expert in forecasting climate and how it is influenced by global warming; so I believe what I read and hear from credible sources, until they proven wrong; so if they are left in awe by the speed at which Irma developed, I believe this is instructive in terms of giving us a sense of what else is not yet known and what may follow in years to come as the earth gets hotter and hotter providing warmer oceans to fuel them.

“Already we can see that in what Irma did to Barbuda, disabling the entire country and its people, who have inhabited the island for some three centuries. With barely a building left standing and all utilities and infrastructure destroyed they were forced to evacuate to their sister island of Antigua, which escaped by a whisker.

“And it wasn’t only Barbuda. Irma was so wide that it covered a significant portion of the Caribbean including the US and British Virgin Islands, where Tortola got the brunt of it. Many islands are now left counting the costs of lives and property, and it’s not even over yet.

Maria is right behind this time in Dominica where I heard the Prime Minister had to flee his official residence after the roof flew off. The island has been badly damaged and Prime Minister is calling on the international community for help,” said Issa, a known supporter of initiatives to reduce global warming. St. Lucia has offered to act as operation centre to coordinate assistance to Dominica.

It’s not the first time that Issa is supporting the view that global warming is responsible for fiercer hurricanes. And he is not the only one to blame recent hurricane disasters on climate change.

Well-known Caribbean scholar Sir Ronald Saunders has also blamed global warming for the speed and fury of today’s hurricanes like Irma, which has displaced many lives in his native twin-island state of Antigua and Barbuda causing him to call for international support for reconstruction of Bermuda. Venezeula and others are said to be responding.

“Barbuda’s entire housing stock has been damaged by Hurricane Irma and the cost to repair infrastructure will be no less than 150 million dollars (USD)”, Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne reportedly said.

 

 

PICA Eager to Expedite Travel Documents for Caribbean Nationals Wishing to Visit Hurricane-ravaged Home – Chairman

Ocho Rios businessman Joe Issa who chairs the board of the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) has expressed sadness at the devastation suffered by many Caribbean countries in the wake of the recent spate of hurricanes and offered assistance in obtaining travel documents to those wishing to visit the region to help.

Stating that the extent of the devastation suffered by the many islands could disrupt travel plans to and within the region for a while, Issa said never-the-less PICA is eager to expedite its services to those who wish to travel home but don’t have travel-ready documents.

“Most of us in the region are home and dry following the recent hurricanes, but not so for many people in several islands left devastated. We must sympathies with our Caribbean neighbors as they try to cope with the loss of life and property and bear in mind it could also happen to us at any time during the season.

“The tragedies have also sadly taken the sting out of travel to and within the Caribbean. Summer is usually a time for travel and many nationals here and in the Diaspora would normally visit home. But with so many islands already ravaged by hurricanes, traffic is expected to reduce this year and could impact the hotel industry.

“However, we at PICA are ready to expedite our services to Caribbean nationals who wish to visit home to assist friends, family and country recover from the ravages of the recent hurricanes.

“We will fast track passport and citizenship applications and get them sent out immediately, as well as assist with immigration services; it’s the least we can do for our clients in the current circumstances, as we aim to make PICA a world class organization,” said Issa, who is said to have led several changes that have vastly improved the customer experience at the government agency.

Hurricane Irma destroyed Barbuda along its merry way which included Anguilla and the Lesser Antilles, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) especially Tortola, the US Virgin Islands (USVI) and Florida and the Gulf States. Its follower, Maria, has already demolished Dominica, wrecked havoc in North Eastern Cuba and Puerto Rico and is heading for the USVI and BVI.

Hard at work

SUPERCLUB’S GOES GLOBAL: Global education 2000 continues to flourish with the generous assistance of Sans Souci Lido and the personal support of its general manager, Joe Issa. This month Broward Elementary school teachers and business partners visited their ‘twin’, Three Hills All Age School in St. Mary. While the Broward Elementary school teachers taught lessons, business partners, Tony Fusco and the staff of San Souci Lido made book shelves for the library and repainted the school.