After Irma, Barbudans fear their lifestyle may be lost forever

MONTHS after Hurricane Irma blazed its destructive path through the Caribbean, the once vibrant community on the tiny island of Barbuda is still struggling to rebuild paradise lost.

Before the September storm, Barbuda was a nearly forgotten Eden about the physical size of the District of Columbia. Its 1,700 inhabitants were family, literally. The descendants of African slaves brought centuries ago by the British, many islanders were related. The workdays were short, and the lobster was sweet. There were no street addresses. Everyone went by their first names.

Irma's Category 5 winds damaged virtually 100 per cent of the island. In its aftermath, and as Hurricane Jose threatened to hit, the island was evacuated.