The Tribune

BY DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

Grand Bahama Children’s Village is undergoing hurricane repairs and expects to reopen soon so that resident children can return home to Freeport from New Providence.

The children and teens - who are considered wards of the state - were evacuated to Nassau in early September after the entire Village was severely flooded and damaged during Dorian.

The Village at Tripp Lane comprises the GB Children’s Home, Columbus House for Boys and Girls, the PACE Centre (Providing Access to Continuing Education) and Genesis Academy. Though built by the Grand Bahama Port Authority, it is independently operated by the government through the Department of Social Services.

While in Grand Bahama recently, Minister of Social Services Frankie Campbell responded to unconfirmed reports over the continuing partnership at Columbus House for Teens with Lady Henrietta St George, wife of the late Edward St George, former chairman of the GB Port Authority.

Mr Campbell said: “The government of Bahamas through the Ministry of Social Services continue to be responsible for all children that become a ward of the State. We are pleased to partner with whosoever is willing to partner with us. But, with or without partners, we will continue to assume our responsibility as best we can for the children.”

In a statement issued yesterday, The Grand Bahama Port Authority has indicated a decision was made to discontinue its “strategic partnership” with the Columbus House programme.

“Over the years we have supported the agencies that manage the Village to the best of our abilities without interference as well as supporting the children with their own needs. In the past 15 years, we have tried to make the Columbus House model a sustainable one. However, we had concerns regarding the adolescent oversight, and we had to make the very difficult decision to discontinue our strategic partnership for that particular teenage programme.”

According to Glendia Sweeting, manager of Group Corporate Affairs at GBPA, before Hurricane Dorian, some 12 teenagers were housed at the Columbus House.

“The entire Village was severely damaged during the storm with up to four feet of flooding. The children and teenagers had to be evacuated to Nassau and repairs are ongoing.”

The Tribune attempted to contact a senior representative at the Department Social Services in Freeport about concerns regarding “adolescent oversight” at Columbus House, however, none of our calls to a cellular phone number supplied to us by were answered up to press time.

The Grand Bahama Children’s Village was built by the Grand Bahama Port Authority under the patronage of Edward St George and Lady Henrietta in 2000.

The Children’s Home is for newborns and children up to 13-year-olds. The PACE Centre for pregnant teens has a school, a clinic, and a nursery. The Genesis Academy School is a ‘second chance programme’ for students. Columbus House is for young men & women in their teens.

Ms Sweeting indicated most of the entities are operated independently of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, Limited (GBPA). She noted GBPA owns and maintains the buildings to keep the children safe, healthy and comfortable.

“We’ve ensured the Village facilities are upgraded and safe so the children will soon return to the Grand Bahama Children’s Home. Work is also ongoing at the Genesis Academy and PACE school, clinic and nursery.

“We are committed to our community and will continue to make sure all the other facilities that we provide for our children in Freeport are up and running soon, including the refurbishing of the Sir Jack Hayward Library, Grand Bahama Sailing Club, and the Susan J Wallace Community Centre, all of which have suffered severe flood damage and are getting a major refurbishment and Handicap access upgrade and will look better than ever before,” Ms Sweeting said.