The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THE president of Abaco’s Chamber of Commerce is confident Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis is committed to rebuilding the island.

During a Hurricane Dorian memorial service on the island last week, Mr Davis promised to do more to help residents who are still struggling three years after the storm. He noted that residents will soon be able to see and feel the results of the work being done, especially relating to the government’s housing programme.

In an interview with The Tribune, Daphne Degregory-Miaoulis said the prime minister’s displeasure of the current state of Abaco reflects the sentiments of Abaconians.

“I’m happy that he is not pleased, because that reflects the sentiments of the Abaco residents as well. We are not pleased with where we are at this stage. We hope that he will consider extending the (special economic recovery zone) order as a way of continuing to assist the rebuild. I have no doubt that, as he is committed to the rebuild, that he will move forward with it,” she said.

Additionally, the housing crisis in Abaco has been a major issue since Hurricane Dorian in 2019 due to the massive number of homes that were destroyed.

Transport and Housing Minister JoBeth Coleby- Davis recently revealed that her ministry plans to build some 300 homes in Abaco to offset this.

Ms Degregory-Miaoulis said the housing initiative is necessary.

She continued: “It is definitely very much needed, because the civil servants for the most part, many of them are still living in domes that are situated at the government complex, which, as you know, is definitely not comfortable living conditions for them to have to work in or live in, I should say.

“The member of Parliament for the south, Mr John Pinder, and Mr Cornish from the north, in a meeting with the Abaco chamber earlier in the year, they did outline that the government was planning to, you know, go ahead with this rebuild.”

When asked what other efforts the government can make to assist Abaco, she said there could be more focus on the skilled labour shortage and improvement of utilities.

She also said: “It all affects our residents and tourist industry. Some road work also needs to be continued and improved. There are certainly some areas that need to have road repair. But those are the main issues.”

During the interview, Ms Degregory-Miaoulis said it is not a good time to judge the island’s economy because it’s still in the slowest season of the year.

However, she said the government can help by looking at price control on building materials to make certain that merchants are not price gouging on retail.

“But the only way that they can really help with that is to relieve the taxes on duty and VAT on imports to the businesses who are, you know, the suppliers of the hardware,” she said.