The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

SUPER VALUE owner Rupert Roberts said on Sunday that “it’s been a rough couple of days” since Hurricane Matthew hit, telling The Tribune that long lines from motorists clamouring at local gas stations has made it difficult for company representatives to get fuel for store generators.

However he said this would not stop the food store chain from supplying Bahamians with the necessities needed to continue on after the passage of Hurricane Matthew.

Representatives from other major food stores and restaurants - many of which reopened on Friday - also told The Tribune they will be open to the public during Monday’s National Heroes Day holiday. Mr Roberts admitted that operating on generators for the past few days has been difficult.

“We are going to open tomorrow (Monday),” Mr Roberts confirmed.

“Our major stores in Winton, the two in Cable Beach, top of the hill Mackey Street and Golden Gates will be open from 7am until 3pm while our smaller stores in the inner city communities will be open from 7am until 1pm,” he said.

Mr Roberts said the stores lost some stock due to the hurricane but added that he is not concerned about inventory as “we keep a $10m stock in the warehouse and there’s a $15m to $20m stock in the stores.

“Most of our stores are still on generator and we’re having difficulty getting access to the fuel until power is back up in all stores. We’re going to try and remain open, forever if we have to. Thankfully, half of our stores have electricity now and that’s quite a relief but otherwise we’ve been scrapping to get fuel for the generators.

“The problem is getting fuel because traffic is blocked up,” he said, referring to the long queues of people lined up at gas stations in New Providence since Friday.

“The generators are sucking a lot of the emergency fuel from the reserves we’d had and it’s difficult getting access to the big tankers right now. I was hoping by yesterday (Saturday) that power would be back up in all of the stores but it didn’t. It’s been a rough couple days but we see some light at the end of the tunnel,” he added.

Shonalee Johnson, a managing partner at AML Foods Ltd, also confirmed that their stores and affiliated restaurants will be open for Monday’s holiday.

Solomon’s Fresh Market, Solomon’s Supercentre, Cost Right, Dominoes and Carl’s Jr have “all been open since Friday and they will be open for tomorrow’s public holiday,” she said.

She could not say definitely if all the outlets had electricity but said most of them have been operating on generators.

Meanwhile, residents in need of rebuilding material may have to wait as the island’s largest building materials supplier, Pinder’s Enterprises, will not open until Tuesday, October 11.

The company’s General Manager Adam Darville told The Tribune that his staff needed rest.

“It’s not because we are running low on stock,” he said.

“My staff is exhausted and they deserve and need rest. But we have plenty materials, more than enough,” he stressed.

Matthew pummelled New Providence on Thursday, damaging homes and businesses, uprooting trees and snapping power lines. Many have been without power and running water since Wednesday, as utility providers work to restore normalcy.