LETTER: Why Weren’t Our Students Evacuated to Antigua Before the Storm?

Published October 28, 2025, 2:45 PM

LETTER: Why Weren’t Our Students Evacuated to Antigua Before the Storm?

Dear Editor,

As Hurricane Melissa bears down on Jamaica with terrifying force, many Antiguans and Barbudans are rightly asking one question: Why weren’t our students evacuated before the storm reached this point?

Several other Caribbean islands, like St Kitts and Nevis, flew their students home.

We’ve known for days that Melissa was intensifying into a monster system, packing winds near 200 miles per hour and threatening catastrophic damage. Yet our students remain in harm’s way, huddled in a hotel room, hoping for the best while the storm creeps closer inch by inch.

I commend the government for securing accommodation at the Pegasus Hotel, but that’s a temporary fix, not a long-term safety plan. What happens if the power fails, the roads flood, or communication lines go down? What if the airport shuts down for an extended period? Have we mapped out how and when these students will be brought home once the storm passes?

Evacuation isn’t just about reacting; it’s about anticipating. With ample warning and modern forecasting tools, could we not have arranged for at least some of them to return home before the island went under hurricane warning? It feels like we’re watching the situation unfold instead of staying two steps ahead.

These are our young people, sons, daughters, future leaders, and their safety must come first. I sincerely hope that once the storm clears, concrete plans are made to either bring them home safely or ensure they’re secure and supported for the duration of this crisis.

Concerned Citizen,
Antigua and Barbuda

This story was first published by Antigua News on October 28, 2025 at 2:45 PM (Antigua time, UTC−4): antigua.news/2025/10/28/letter-why-werent-our-students-evacuated-to-antigua-before-the-storm. © 2025 Antigua News. Republication without permission is not allowed.

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Comments (9)

Anonymous October 28, 2025, 2:57 PM

The why is not important? They did not. What are we going to do now? They are there we are here, and the storm is raging. We cannot talk about what should have, it, done happened
Reply
Senses October 28, 2025, 2:59 PM

Why didn’t you evacuate your family member before the storm?🙄🙄 Who is really responsible?🤔
Reply
- Anonymous October 28, 2025, 10:00 PM
  
  Sioooo true
  Reply
welpppppppppp October 28, 2025, 3:46 PM

I was thinking about that but didnt say anything now i am seeing this here
Reply
Apex Jones October 28, 2025, 4:41 PM

A case of should have Could Have Didn’t Have
Reply
Informed citizen October 28, 2025, 5:15 PM

So the government supposed to charter private jets for every Antiguan student in Jamaica? Come on. Parents and family have a role too. You can’t depend on the state for everything then cry foul when things go wrong.
Reply
- Anonymous October 28, 2025, 10:01 PM
  
  Exactly. Totally agree.
  Reply
Tromos October 28, 2025, 11:59 PM

Student safety should never be compromised. Authorities need to explain their decision-making process.
Reply
Talk the truth October 29, 2025, 12:14 PM

People stop if government helping with tuition and lodging you parents that pay insane 2000 and 3000 in July for costumes and the other nonsense you spending money on can’t fly YOUR CHILD HOME TO SAFETY, is not all tax payers responsibility, now if you really poor and just can’t we understand, father’s mother’s grandparents, aunt, uncle, big brother and sisters HELP.
Reply

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LETTER: Why Weren’t Our Students Evacuated to Antigua Before the Storm?

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