The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis and a team visited the hardest hit settlements in Grand Bahama yesterday and delivered some much needed relief items to residents.

The FNM, he said, is committed to assisting all Bahamians, and ensuring that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Urban Renewal treat everyone who has been affected with fairness.

“The FNM will be very vigilant to determine and ensure that fairplay prevails,” he said. “We will ensure that NEMA looks at all fairly and not by (political) colour and that is what I meant when I said we will watch the government closely and ensure that NEMA and Urban Renewal looks after all when supplies are given, and not just to PLPs or their cronies.”

Dr Minnis went into Hunters, Lewis Yard, Pinder’s Point, Eight Mile Rock and West End to assess the damage and speak with those affected. He was impressed with the positive attitude displayed by residents, despite their tremendous property and personal losses during Hurricane Matthew.

“Even though the people of Hunters and Lewis Yard were basically somewhat demolished, they are focused, determined, and hopeful that things will be better and they continue to remain positive,” he said. He said his party also recognises that the storm also caused serious damage in Freeport.

“But what was most significant to me when I looked at the homes with roofs blown off and those that did not, the roofs made of seamed metal roofs stayed in place. And that is significant because we are in the hurricane belt area and it tells me we must review our building codes, and that may have some impact going forward, and we saw that with Hurricane Joaquin the homes on stilts survived, but those not built on stilts did not.”

The Castaways Resort in Freeport lost a portion of its roof, but is still operational. The Memories Resort, Grand Lucayan Resort and Port Lucaya Marketplace in Lucaya are severely damaged.

Dr Minnis said the people of Grand Bahama are resilient and will overcome. “What I found most amazing is when you talk to residents they display resiliency that Bahamian people have. In spite of what has happened, they displayed to us convincingly that while it is a setback and Grand Bahama has gone through a lot with the recession, it will still not hold them back and that Grand Bahama will continue to rebuild.”

Dr Minnis said residents have requested canned foods, food items, ice, and water. “While here we provided some food items and we are in communication with the US and looking at having shipped into the island a container with ice so that Grand Bahamians would be able to come and obtain ice, which is one of the essential required items requested by residents,” he said. He was also quite impressed with how quickly the Grand Bahama Power Company has responded and had brought in additional manpower following the storm.

“Yes, most are in darkness but I find that the power company within three days had extra staff on the ground, and New Providence has not, and it shows that they are determined to get Grand Bahama back as quick as possible while New Providence is a different entity altogether.”

When asked what he thought about Prime Minister Perry Christie’s comments that he was using the hurricane to politicise and divide the country politically, Dr Minnis said: “The PLP is the government and they are supposed to be the government for all, but the PLP have been moving through various areas in colours. Is that not politics?

“They are driving around in government plates - red plates, and in yellow colours. Is that not politics? The PM needs to open his eyes.”

Dr Minnis said he has not read Mr Christie’s comments but was more concerned with visiting hurricane ravaged areas and Bahamians who were affected by the storm.