The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

Residents in the southern Bahamas are still “struggling” to recover almost five months after Hurricane Joaquin’s Category Fiur winds and rain devastated several Family Islands.

Arnette Chisholm, who owns and operates Chester’s Highway Inn Bone-Fish Lodge on Acklins, along with husband Julius Chisholm, told Tribune Business: “It’s still a struggling situation.”

“We had no damage personally, but when you look at places like Snug Corner, it’s completely wiped out. The road in Lovely Bay, as Minister Gray would have said, needs serious attention.

“Getting provisions is still a challenge with the mail boat situation. We’re still struggling. Schools have reopened to some degree.”

Mrs Chisholm said her husband has been contracted by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to carry out repairs in north Acklins.

Sonia Jones, the owner of Simply Bahamian, a handicraft store on San Salvador, told Tribune Business yesterday that commerce was slowly beginning to pick up with the Club Med resort, the island’s primary employer, getting back on track.

Attempts to obtain comment from Club Med on its re-opening and post-Joaquin business were unsuccessful up to press time yesterday.

Ms Jones told Tribune Business: “We are trying to get things back together. Business is starting to pick back up again, especially with Club Med getting back up and running. Things are coming together.”

Last month, Long Island resident and Chamber of Commerce president, Cheryl de Goicoechea, told Tribune Business that just 35 per cent of Long Island businesses are back in operation.