The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Superintendent Bruce Arnett, officer in charge of operations in North Andros, has implored Bahamians to step up and donate as the island’s residents press ahead with recovery efforts after Hurricane Matthew.

“Any time you walk into a community where people lost everything that they own … I can’t imagine and I would be dishonouring them if I speak about their devastation, because I can’t even imagine what they are going through,” Supt Arnett told reporters at an impact assessment tour of the island by several CARICOM leaders this week.

“But as you drive to the community you can see that they are holding on to what they still have, whether it is just the mashed down house, or just the feel of that community spirit, so that is still there.”

North Andros, particularly the community of Lowe Sound, received a direct strike from Matthew.

Rip tides and storm surges in Lowe Sound pushed seawater as far as a mile inland in some areas, and in some cases, caused surges of 10 feet above normal sea level. The magnitude of the surge flattened homes and tore down power lines.

North Andros was one of three islands that were catastrophically damaged by Matthew. Residents there are pleading with the public for aid, including food and supplies.

Despite the devastation however, Supt Arnett said he remains grateful that residents in North Andros have opted to help each other and their community, and not push it further into to chaos.

“People are not committing crimes, people are abiding by the laws, people are doing what they are told to do; then that makes us happy because then that means are following the principles of our country where we are a peaceful nation,” he said.

“And so, the police, we are definitely happy with that. We are assisting with this recovery effort. Wherever we are needed, that is where we are focusing our resources, and focusing our time and energy.”

“I am quite pleased with the progress that our sister and brother agencies are making. We have power restored to several of our communities already, cell sites are coming up, water is coming online and so these are the essential things that people need to live. So once we can get those things up and running, it has only been a few days and you can see, men are working, volunteers are coming in and people feeling the relief that is expected when we have these devastating things.”

The government has yet to provide a status report on North Andros and those communities on the island that have been adversely affected by the storm.

Based on initial estimations offered by Prime Minister Perry Christie during a tour of the island on Wednesday, the devastation in Lowe Sound alone could carry a price tag of more than $10 million.

Reflecting on that, Supt Arnett said the legacy of Matthew now offers the entire community of the Bahamas an opportunity to come together.

He contended that although the spirit of North Andros residents is “formidable”, they need all the help that they can get.

“So all the Bahamians out there that may have not experienced what they experienced, this is the time for you to give, and give into the lives of your fellow countrymen and countrywomen to make their recovery effort a little easier,” said Supt Arnett.