The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas has received about $10 million in donations to assist with Hurricane Dorian relief efforts in Grand Bahama and Abaco, with about three quarters of that sum already expended to help storm victims, according to a NEMA official.

Captain Stephen Russell, head of the National Emergency Management Agency, said in terms of a “total breakdown”, the money has been “expended in several areas to provide immediate relief supplies to persons who would’ve been impacted” by the storm.

“Again, donated funds go to the victims of the disaster and that includes homes; so the domes structures that we’ve invested in, the mobile trailer homes for government employees who were displaced as a result of Hurricane Dorian in Abaco and Grand Bahama to a lesser extent, and persons who would have applied through the DRA,” he explained during a virtual press conference on Sunday.

He added that officials used “some $7 million” to assist Hurricane Dorian victims.

“In terms of funds, we have remaining now probably just over $3 million remaining in the donations account,” he said. “But again, funds will continue to be dispersed as persons come forth for assistance in the recovery effort.”

Dorian was the strongest hurricane on record to make landfall in the Bahamas. The economic loss and damage to infrastructure is an estimated $3.4 billion.

In January, the Disaster Reconstruction Authority held a Hurricane Dorian Pledging Conference which raised over $1bn in pledges, officials said. However in March, an official revealed that only $364,000 was in actual cash and deposits.

DRA Managing Director Kay Forbes-Smith said in March that after further assessment of the full scope of pledges, the revised amount from the conference was “very close” to $1.8bn. However, she declined to make public individual donor identities. After the event, the most talked about pledge was from the P3 Group and its president, Dee Brown, who announced that $975m in loans at concessionary rates would be made available to the Bahamas.

After the announcement grabbed headlines, officials said no decision had been made on whether this was an offer that would be accepted.

The breakdown of the money pledged at the conference includes: $41m in grants; $1.3bn in public-private partnerships; technical assistance worth $51m; $400m in other assistance and $364,000 in cash and deposits.

Also on Sunday, Minister of Disaster Preparedness Iram Lewis said the COVID-19 pandemic and the emergency orders issued to deter the spread of the virus have slowed down national preparation efforts. Still, he said many activities like school visits and live hurricane drills will be addressed in a virtual meeting with island administrators and other key individuals.

“Disaster preparedness is everybody’s business,” he said. “That is, it is the responsibility for each and every one of us inclusive of NEMA, the Disaster Reconstruction Authority (DRA), other government agencies, and the private sector to ensure that the impact of our lives, our properties and our livelihood is minimised.”

According to Trevor Basden, the director of the Bahamas Department of Meteorology, Colorado State University predicts 16 named storms of which eight will become hurricanes. The university also predicts that four of the eight storms are expected to develop into Category 3 or major hurricanes.

Mr Basden also referred to the Weather Company, which has predicted a “greater than average” Atlantic hurricane season with 18 named storms, nine of which are predicted to develop into hurricanes. The organisation also predicts that four of the storms will also develop into major Category 3, 4 and 5 hurricanes.

In view of these facts, Capt Russell said everyone must do their part to “safeguard” their loved ones and belongings. He also said the agency has adopted a five-phase national disaster plan to guide them through the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season.