The government has invited companies to bid on the installation of hurricane shutters on Montserrat’s public buildings – over a month into this year’s Atlantic hurricane season.
The Ministry of Communication Works and Labour published its invitation to tender online on 9 July and bidders have until 14 August to submit their proposals.
If a bid is approved, the work is tentatively scheduled to begin in late August or early September – which is peak hurricane season.
There are dozens of windows that need shutters. The job is split into four lots, and applicants can bid on just one or on several.
They are, the Office of the Premier, the Ministry of Communications, Works, Labour and Energy, the Ministry of Agriculture, Housing, Land and the Environment, and Montserrat Customs and Revenue Services.
The work will take place on several floors and the shutters that need to be supplied and installed are corrosion resistant aluminium accordion shutters and aluminium manual roller shutters.
Bids must include insurance, equipment, supplies, maintenance of traffic, temporary works, and safety measures.
Companies must also submit their work schedule, quality control plan, safety (hoarding) and traffic control programme.
Above average
In May, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted an above normal Atlantic hurricane season. This takes place from June 1 to November 30.
Experts forecast a range of 17 to 25 total named storms with winds of 39 miles per hour or higher. They expect eight to 13 to become hurricanes, with winds of 74 miles per hour or higher.
Of those, they have forecast four to seven to be major hurricanes, of category three, four or five, with winds of 111 miles per hour or higher.
Montserrat’s Disaster Management Coordination Agency (DMCA) director Alvin Ryan, in a Facebook video message on 1 June, urged residents to prepare.
“Action now can really help reduce the impacts of storms on our communities, reduce damage to property, and most importantly, save lives, which is the ultimate goal,” he said.
“Remember, it only takes one.”
Information on how to prepare for a hurricane is available in the DMCA’s 2024 Hurricane Preparedness Guide here.
Visit the National Hurricane Center for the latest weather updates at www.nhc.noaa.gov
