The Tribune

COSTS incurred by the government following the passage of Hurricane Irma has tipped $1.5m, The Tribune has learned.

The sum covers air transport and shelters; however, The Tribune was told a final costing was not yet available as the figure was still rising.

The government has said restoration efforts following Hurricane Irma will cost the country “tens of millions”.

Last Friday, National Emergency Management Agency head Captain Stephen Russell reported that half-a-million dollars had been spent on evacuation and repatriation exercises so far this hurricane season.

Capt Russell said the agency had conducted some 23 flight commissions, with about 1,400 people evacuated by the government.

He estimated that about 1,000 of them have been repatriated by the government to their island, with some using their own expenses to return to their home.

On Friday, Captain Russell said restoration efforts that involve rebuilding people’s homes is unsustainable, and it may be time to find a new formula.

“Over the past three consecutive years, we’ve had three major hurricanes (and) it’s costly,” he said at the time.

“Is it sustainable for the government after every hurricane to dish out funds for reconstruction? It’s a very expensive operation. I think The Bahamas is one of the only countries in the Caribbean jurisdiction that really reconstructs houses for persons.”

Capt Russell said: “It’s not sustainable every year to rebuild homes for people whose homes were destroyed. We have to look at some other formula to provide assistance. A one bedroom house is $71,000. A three-bedroom house can go up to almost $115,000. If you have to rebuild over 100 homes in any island that’s almost $10m. It’s a cycle.”