The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

AN additional 1,200 hurricane victims have sought assistance from government according to Myles Laroda, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister.

This is in addition to the 2,500 victims for which the former administration had made allocations to assist.

Yesterday, Mr Laroda, who is responsible for the Disaster Reconstruction Authority (DRA), made the statement when asked for the amount allocated to provide assistance to affected homeowners.

He said: “There were some 2,500 residents who the former government had made allocations for in terms of relief. When we came to office that figure had expanded to 3,700 and so we had to allocate in this budget — I think it’s a figure north of $2m, that if need be, the government will have to consider extending, if need be, to put those individuals in a more positive position.“

According to the MP for Pinewood, since the Progressive Liberal Party won the 2021 election, protocols to provide assistance to Grand Bahamian and Abaconian homeowners have been established. This assistance would include donations of building materials and financial help.

The housing repair programme was launched by the Minnis administration in February 2020 to help residents in Abaco and Grand Bahama repair their storm ravaged homes following the passage of Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

Mr Laroda said the government currently has a team in Abaco assessing damaged homes.

Last month, Housing and Transport Minister Jobeth Coleby-Davis announced that the government was aiming to have the structures demolished and taken off the property by August.

However, Mr Laroda said the government is attempting to balance finding suitable homes for those living in the temporary structures.

“Deadlines have been given but we are also at a position where if those hard deadlines are not met, we can always adjust to ensure those residents are not taken from domes and put on the street,” he told reporters yesterday.

Earlier this month, DRA executive chairman Alex Storr said the government will be providing monetary assistance to Abaco dome dwellers to assist with their relocation to permanent homes.

Mr Storr gave an assurance that residents will not just be put out on the streets heartlessly by the Davis administration.

“Let me just say that Social Services will be giving them monetary assistance to help,” he had said.

“I think Social Services has arranged for them to get $4,000 to assist with any expenses to pay rent or do whatever they have to do to aid in their transition.”

With the three-year anniversary of Dorian approaching, Mr Laroda said until all residents have had their situation solved it is “never enough.”

“Until everyone has had their situation solved it is never enough. Its fluid, its ongoing; Dorian was one of those monster storms. I represent the community of Pinewood, of which there are still refugees from Abaco in my constituency who would love to go home.

“The reality is there is a shortage of residences so there is always more to be done. This will be with us for years. The Prime Minister made a statement earlier on that our national debt can be directly tied to over some $5 billions of borrowing so it will be a while, but you know as we move forward our job is to make those people’s lives better day by day.”