The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

LABOUR and National Insurance Minister Shane Gibson yesterday said he is “disappointed” in the “pace” at which the government is providing assistance to persons negatively affected by Hurricane Matthew.

Mr Gibson, the government’s Hurricane Matthew czar, said three months after the category four storm, the government has done a superb job in meeting its goal of providing total relief to persons reeling in the hurricane’s aftermath, the majority of whom are located in New Providence, Andros and Grand Bahama.

Hurricane Matthew devastated large sections of those islands in October. In response, the government established a Hurricane Matthew repair programme on those three islands, which consists of a voucher system for physical home repairs, and a 180-day exigency order, which expires in April.

“The system itself is just moving too slow for me,” Mr Gibson said.

“I would have thought that we would have been much further ahead. I met with the technical team week before last letting them know how disappointed I was in the process and how disappointed I was in how long it was taking to provide assistance, and you know the rainy season is upon us again.

“I’m going to meet with them again probably on Friday where we’ll have to revamp the process and see how we could maybe either give them additional resources or move some people out, because if we have some people who are obstructing individuals receiving assistance, whether it’s coupons or repairs to their homes, then we need to get those people out of the system.

“But suffice it to say I am not pleased with the pace at which we are providing relief to persons who were negatively impacted by Hurricane Matthew.”

In January, Mr Gibson told Parliament that contracts valued at some $3.5m had been issued for labour and materials to repair homes damaged by the category four storm last year.

At the time, Mr Gibson also revealed that the response to the loan programme for public officers and government employees for hurricane related repairs was “overwhelming,” totalling over $24m at the time. He said that number was equivalent to 5,128 loan approvals.

Additionally, Mr Gibson said at the time that the government had spent $10m on clean up activities up to December of last year and $1m to remove debris in Grand Bahama.

Mr Gibson also said at the time that just under $300,000 was spent in north Andros and $40,000 in central Andros.

“We’re helping lots of persons right, but in my view I’ve worked this process before after Hurricane Jean, Francis and Wilma,” Mr Gibson said of the government’s effort yesterday.

“And in my view we were much further ahead at this point in time after Hurricane’s Jean, Francis and Wilma.

“Even though the entire Bahamas wasn’t impacted, it was just basically or mostly Grand Bahama, Abaco and Eleuthera, we still moved a lot quicker.

“So I am definitely not pleased with the pace. I don’t know the reason for it, but I know we have to move a lot quicker.”