The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE Grand Bahama Port Authority has pledged its continued support of the Grand Bahama Children’s Home, assuring stakeholders the buildings were fully insured and would be rebuilt at a cost of $850,000.

Additionally, surrounding structures are being renovated by GBPA licensee Spartan Contractors, along with One Bahamas Fund and Albany who made a $130,000 donation towards the facility’s upgrades not covered by insurance.

“Thankfully, full restoration of the (GBCH) is underway,” said Sarah St George, acting chairman of the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA).

“We have supported and will continue to support this refuge for neglected and abused children. Insuring the home’s buildings meant that funds would be available to rebuild the home’s structures and provide handicap access upgrades,” she said.

GBCH suffered severe flood damage during Dorian last September, displacing some 32 children who were relocated to New Providence. The target for the children’s return is the end of July.

Lady Henrietta St George, patron and honorary chairman of the GBCH, said: “By God’s grace, the children and staff were evacuated at the height of the storm with no loss of life. The children were welcomed into Nassau’s Children’s Emergency Hostel, Ranfurly Home for Children and the Nazareth Centre where they have remained while the restoration of their Grand Bahama home continues. The care they are getting is great, as I saw when I visited the Ranfurly Home, but they need to come back to Grand Bahama so that their families can visit and they can re-join their community.”

Executive Director of GBCH Sheila Johnson-Smith said: “We are all hands-on deck now to bring our children back home. The community is in great need of this facility right now as many Grand Bahamians struggle to recover from Hurricane Dorian and need our assistance with their families. As the GBPA helps us complete our structural repairs, we are extremely grateful to the hundreds of local and international donors who are helping us furnish and restock the (GBCH).”

The facility, which was officially opened on November 4, 2003, was built by the GBPA at a cost of $2.5 million, under the patronage of Lady St George. The government and other donors also contributed funds toward the facility. GBCH has been providing a safe haven for children ranging from six weeks to 15 years for over four decades.