The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

STAFF of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries donated numerous items to the National Emergency Management Agency yesterday to aid the agency’s relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Joaquin.

The items included canned goods, boxed items and clothes.

“I want to thank the staff,” Agriculture and Fisheries Minister V Alfred Gray said at a press conference at the ministry yesterday. He said he did not initially know about the employees’ plans.

“I want to thank my permanent secretary and all of those who have contributed to this. I have not been able to contribute to this collection, but I have done my part in my own way. This is a surprise event.”

To donate the items, Mr Gray shared the stage with NEMA Director Captain Stephen Russell.

This came days after Mr Gray suggested that NEMA and the Department of Meteorology dropped the ball with their preparation and response to Hurricane Joaquin.

Last week Mr Gray also said “heads should roll” over the way in which some government agencies responded to the storm.

In response, NEMA officials have said they did nothing wrong preparing for the storm, adding that they issued warnings about the hurricane in due time.

However, NEMA officials have said they have to accept some blame over the fact that many storm shelters on the affected islands were under used during the storm. On the island of Acklins, none of the island’s storm shelters were open as Joaquin passed.

Joaquin battered the central and southern Bahamas for two days, on October 1 and 2, leaving many residents on those islands homeless or with damaged residences.

The storm brought chest high storm surges, flooding and heavy wind.