A GROUP of Bahamians led by Long Islander George Cartwright are appealing for urgent supplies to be donated so that they can be flown to the hurricane-ravaged island on Sunday morning.
Mr Cartwright, a contractor in Nassau, organised two helicopters and a seaplane on Saturday to take essential supplies - particularly water - in a successful mission to Long Island.
The group is asking for supplies to be dropped off at at a reception point just inside the entrance to Odyssey Aviation at Lynden Pindling International Airport from 7.15am on Sunday. They are asking especially for donations of water, food, tinned supplies and clothing.
The supplies will be flown to Stella Maris airport, which re-opened on Saturday afternoon. The back-up plan would be to fly into Exuma, take them across by boat to Long Island and hope that trucks could get them up to Stella Maris.
Reports from the mission to Long Island on Saturday suggest Gray's and Salt Pond are still under water and that from Gray’s to Gordon’s in the south the situation is “really bad”. All utility poles are down and stories are being brought back of dead animals - goats, chickens, dogs - floating in the water.
Speculation is of a number of deaths, not only from collapsing roofs but from drowning.
Comments
John 8 years, 6 months ago
This is a clear demonstration of how severely disjointed this country has become. While residents in the Southern Bahamas were being battered by terrible hurricane force winds, sea surge up to 20 feet and wrenching rain, life in the capital went on as usual, unabated, the partying, the politics and the crime. Even when some radio stations (on Friday) finally decided or realized the seriousness of hurricane Joiquin, the host of one station choose to spend tie poking fun at how the prime minister pronounced the name of the storm (jo-kin as opposed to woa-kin) rather than alert listeners to the seriousness and the devastation of the Southern Bahamas. Police were on the streets searching persons and vehicles in the rain for 'drugs' and one resident in the Southern Bahamas was in the media crying for help for over 3 hours before she apparently lost communication. Government dropped the ball big time because even after they became aware of the situation in the South, there was nothing in place to offer immediate relief. The US stations gave more coverage to what was happening in the Southern Bahamas than our entire local media, collectively
ohdrap4 8 years, 6 months ago
not to hijack the thread, but what do you expect from a talk show host who, on thrusday, was promoting an event telling diabetics that they can drink 'cane juice' because it is natural. Yep, cane juice as in sugar cane. That show has become a comedy show or a science fiction show.
marty2000 8 years, 6 months ago
I find it amazing that officials and/or police do not have any kind of Ham radio set up or satellite telephone service that is operational in times of crisis like this. This is not the first emergency to hit the Family Islands. It is not that expensive but may mean the difference between life and death for people hurt down there
marty2000 8 years, 6 months ago
Has anyone heard from Ken in Taits or Charleton in Hard Bargain ?
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