The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

SOCIAL Services Minister Melanie Griffin said her ministry has been in contact with two sisters and their children who were evacuated from Crooked Island on Monday. However, she said, the family has “refused their services”.

The residents were among 46 people who were flown from the storm-wrecked island to New Providence.

Yesterday, Mrs Griffin said Social Services has been assisting the family from “day one”, but the sisters have not accepted the offer from the government agency to find them a place to stay.

However on Tuesday, Takeisha Delancy told The Tribune that the room that Social Services provided for her family was deplorable, adding that she had to call someone for help who paid for them to stay at the Melià resort instead. Ms Delancy, 27, was flown from Crooked Island on Monday after she and members of her family were listed as in need of immediate medical attention. They had suffered cuts that required tetanus shots, which were not available on the island. She, her sister Tonya Roberts and their six children, also decided to fly into the capital because they had lost everything during the hurricane, including their home.

Ms Delancy told The Tribune that once in New Providence, the motel to which Social Services sent them in downtown Nassau was “completely unacceptable” to house anyone, especially small children.

Mrs Griffin admitted yesterday that the motel was “not up to standard”, but said since then the Department of Social Services has found a different place for them to stay. But she said the sisters told officials that they would rather stay at the Melià in a room being paid for by Free National Movement Chairman Michael Pintard.

“From they were flown in we have been assisting them. We called them today (Wednesday) and spoke to them and let them know we have made arrangements for them, but they said they have additional time at the Melià and they wanted to stay there,” Mrs Griffin said.

“I understand four families are at Melià and I understand my people contacted them and it appears they are getting extra time, but we are prepared to assist them as we normally do. Social Services has been having challenges with accommodations because there is a need and it is great and two of the major service providers had some challenges, but we have been over the course of the last few months trying to work them out and now we are in a position to use them. We have other places for them to stay and we are able to accommodate them. We contacted them and let them know we are here to assist for when they need us.”

Mrs Griffin said the other persons who were evacuated from Crooked Island, as far as she knows, are staying with relatives. But she said her ministry is ready to help them all “for however long it takes.”

In a brief interview with The Tribune on Tuesday, Mr Pintard pledged his support for the Delancys and another family staying at the hotel, saying the assistance would continue until the government stepped up to the plate.

Crooked Island was one of the southern islands most devastated by Hurricane Joaquin’s passage last week. The category four storm tore through homes, ripped off roofs and created chest-high storm surges in some areas.

The affected islands were left without electricity and telephone service for days after the storm.