The Tribune

By ADRIAN GIBSON

ajbahama@hotmail.com

For the governing Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), Hurricane Matthew will either be the straw that finally breaks the camel’s back in the minds of the electorate or the lifeline they needed to convince voters that they are worthy of another term.

The onus is now on the governing party to demonstrate to a frustrated, dejected and dispossessed people that they have learnt from the “teachable moments” of Hurricane Joaquin in 2015.

Hurricane Matthew’s unwelcomed passage through our archipelago and subsequent annihilation of parts of several islands has set our country back by 30 years. There has been extensive loss of property, widespread infrastructural damage and an increasing sense of discontentment.

Admittedly, the arrival of the hurricane in New Providence was met by much trepidation. After spending Tuesday evening and the early part of Wednesday securing my house, I prepared for Bahamas Power and Light (BPL)/Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) to shut off the light. As the winds begun to howl outside my window that evening, the lights were soon off.

My six-year-old son, who was excited to experience his first hurricane, was initially excited. Of course, like any child afraid of the dark, he spent the next few days tagging me closely - holding on to my shirt, jumping in front of me as I walked, following me everywhere. To him, no flashlight or candles could replace the comforts that he had become accustomed to and the fear of the darkness around him was a brand new experience.

Admittedly, being without electricity from Wednesday night to Sunday afternoon was frustrating. I can only imagine the ire and frustration many Bahamians - still without electricity - are feeling. I had not been without electricity for that long since I went to Long Island in the wake of the last two hurricanes to impact my home town. Nassauvians have not experienced a hurricane of the magnitude of Matthew in many years and so, undoubtedly, residents are exasperated or, as one person told me, feeling as if “we have returned to the 14th century”. Growing up in Long Island, I became accustomed to being without electricity for extended periods following a storm. I readily recall the devastation left by Hurricane Lilly in the 1990s.

BPL - BEC’s management company - has failed in its response to Hurricane Matthew. Its co-ordination and efforts to re-electrify New Providence have been slothful, disorganised and amateurish. That said, I must applaud the hardworking men and women of BEC/BPL who have worked countless hours to restore power, leaving their families to fend for themselves to give an invaluable national service. Though these men and women are clearly being managed by clueless bunglers, they have performed in what is - I am told - confusing circumstances where they are receiving multiple, confusing instructions from various people and being told to ensure that certain prominent Bahamians and politicians have their electricity supply immediately restored.

Why did BPL (a subsidiary of management entity PowerSecure) not follow well-established hurricane co-ordination procedures?

Why were power lines in New Providence not restored on the main thoroughfares before anywhere else?

Since PowerSecure is an international company purportedly based in the United States, why are there no sister companies or affiliates offering to assist with the restoration of power throughout the archipelago? Why are there no more re-electrification teams on the ground?

In 2016, why is BPL/BEC still installing wooden poles and overhead power lines in new subdivisions?

Why hasn’t any administration seen the benefit in generally replacing overhead cables with underground cables? Surely, the current overhead could be sold to other countries or persons who deal in copper wiring and the poles could be cut down and sold - again to other countries - as firewood and/or people for construction. It is not as difficult as it sounds. The reality is that we live in a hurricane belt and we must be proactive.

What’s more, why we have not had the foresight to promote and encourage the full scale incorporation of alternative energy - from solar energy to wind power? Surely, we must be tired of electing visionless wannabe leaders who are not forward thinkers and who have refused a wholesale acceptance and embrace of renewable energy!

This hurricane has yet again exposed our failure at town planning.

Yet again, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has been shown to be a neutered governmental pup!

Where are the satellite phones NEMA?

When I was growing up in Long Island, I recall BEC pruning trees that were close to power lines. Why do we no longer see that?

Why are the drains no longer cleaned on a quarterly basis? Where is the vision?

Was there a proper hurricane evacuation plan in place for residents of the southern parts of New Providence, beyond inviting residents to leave?

I am disappointed that some Bahamians, though advised to leave the southern shoreline for their own safety, remained. Surely, these persons ought to have taken refuge at shelters and with family members rather than risking their lives and potentially risking the lives of rescuers who would be dispatched to save them once they made distress calls. Evacuation orders should be mandatory and, going forward, the government must declare a state of emergency and use the Royal Bahamas Defence Force to assist in relocating those who may not voluntarily do so. What if the hurricane did directly hit New Providence?

Frankly, we need to move to a point where we have government-initiated mock exercises, simulating hurricanes, fire drills, plane crashes, fires and bombings. The response of the government in the wake of Hurricane Matthew demonstrates that our government is unprepared for national catastrophes. In future, sporadic drills should feature firefighters, police officers, ambulances and medics, doctors and nurses, morticians, the Defence Force, BTC personnel, BEC personnel, air traffic controllers and so on.

I am more fortunate than most. Whilst I lost shingles from my roof, suffered damage to a boat, plants in my yard and threw out hundreds of dollars’ worth of meat and frozen goods, I consider myself fortunate. Many Bahamians lost far more.

The build code must be adjusted for new construction along the coastline.

Unfortunately, we bordered on a descending into anarchy in the wake of the storm. I witnessed untold incivility at the gas stations and on fast food lines. How disappointing!

Intentional dissemination of misinformation is a downside of the prevalence of social media in the Bahamas. We saw lies being spread about the shortage of fuel and the destruction of jetties at Clifton Pier, which sparked a rush on gas stations and caused absolute mayhem, blocked roads and the unusual sight of police cars escorting fuel trucks. And then there was the story about conch poisoning that also was untrue. Rather than channelling that energy into assisting Bahamians most impacted by the hurricane, there are clearly some among us who are intent on creating and spreading falsehoods.

Moreover, the reports of looting and theft are demonstrative of a callous breakdown of social law and order among our people. In times of crisis, we always lived as one.

As I move about New Providence and see pictures from Grand Bahama, Andros and the Berry Islands, I am saddened by the sheer scope of the destruction and the setbacks that so many Bahamians will now face. The ripped off roofs, uprooted trees, toppled utility poles and damaged homes and properties are a sight to behold.

Amazingly, credit is due to the Ministry of Works and all those volunteers who have been moving quickly to clear up New Providence. The roads, once littered with debris, are being rapidly cleared.

The decision of Minister of Education Jerome Fitzgerald to order teachers to report to school today is unconscionable. Schools have yet to be repaired and teachers have reached out to me, complaining that they are living in areas where the electricity and water supply has yet to be restored. So, where are the teachers to be housed when many schools have been terribly damaged? Why not allow teachers to return to work on Monday? Where is the Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT)? Now that former President Belinda Wilson is no longer at the helm, it appears that the union has castrated and become voiceless!

In future, we must ensure that our people build up to code. The Ministry of Works must ensure that building inspections are conducted and that the highest construction standards are maintained.

Comments and responses to ajbahama@hotmail.com