BARBARA WALKIN

FN Night Editor

barbara@nasguard.com

In her communication to the House of Assembly on Wednesday, August 8, Minister of Transport and Aviation Glenys Hanna-Martin announced the re-establishment of an office for weather services to Grand Bahama, after the Freeport Weather Service closed its doors on December 31, 2009.

Lee Marvin Johnson will return to the office, said Hanna-Martin, and an additional three employees will be engaged and trained to work in the reopened Met office in GB.

She added that the new Grand Bahama office will begin the process of providing complete and accurate coverage of weather observation and forecast for the entire archipelago.

"And as we further understand the weather, the office will also meet the needs of meteorological observers to serve as tornado spotters, particularly to residents as a result of three deaths during the tornado in March 29, 2010."

She noted that this is the first stage of the expansion plan for the Met Department to have human observers on each of the Family Islands and to do away with the Automatic Weather Observing Stations, which are very costly on an annual basis to maintain.

"This policy initiative is part and parcel of a larger commitment by the Progressive Liberal Party Government to expanding quality meteorological services throughout our archipelago and, thereby so far as possible, contributes to the improved quality of life of our people," Minister Hanna-Martin said.

"This is the first stage of an expansion plan of the Department of Meteorology to have human observers on each of the Family Islands and to do away with the automatic weather observing stations which are very costly on an annual basis, which are very costly on an annual basis to maintain." she added.