A photo of the Abaco Hurricane Shelter after the trusses in the roof collapsed. Photos: Silbert Mills
Trusses on hurricane shelter fall on five-year anniversary of Dorian
By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
THE trusses on a hurricane shelter being built in Abaco collapsed over the weekend as the island marked the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Dorian’s passage.
Photos of the collapse went viral yesterday, sparking criticism, especially from Abaco residents.
The shelter was originally slated to open in May 2021. Officials say they expect it to be completed by the end of this year.
Former North Abaco MP Darren Henfield expressed concern over the construction’s progress yesterday.
“The reality of the whole thing is quite rich,” he said. “The roof has collapsed as we mark the fifth anniversary of Dorian. Residents are actively sharing images of the collapsed roof on social media and raising concerns about the structure’s stability.”
Mr Henfield said during his tenure as minister of foreign affairs, he secured $1m from the United Nations to facilitate the shelter’s construction in 2019. He claimed the original plans were scrapped when the Davis administration took office. Although the government has cited issues with the structure’s foundation as a reason for the increased budget, he called the rise to $4.8m “inexplicable”.
He also questioned the competency of the contractors.
“We don’t want to make things like this political, but the incompetence is rife here,” he said.
He said recent rains, while heavy, were not severe enough to cause such damage to the trusses.
“I shudder to think what would happen in a real crisis where Abaconians would seek shelter in that facility,” he said.
Roscoe Thompson, a prominent Abaco resident, echoed Henfield’s concerns after seeing photos of the shelter online.
“The sad thing is that it’s undersized for what we need in Abaco,” he said. The original plan was for a bigger building. It baffles me how the government prices these buildings.”
In response to the criticism, Leon Lundy, the minister responsible for the Disaster Risk Management Authority, noted that no one was inside when the roof collapsed and emphasised that safety is the top priority.
He attributed the budget increase to several inherited issues.
Alex Storr, chairman of the Disaster Risk Management Authority, said about fifty percent of the trusses in the middle of the structure collapsed between the night of August 31 and the early morning of September 1.
He said a team of engineers would conduct a detailed site inspection to determine the cause of the collapse and necessary remediation efforts.
He said despite the setback, the contractor remains committed to delivering a quality hurricane shelter capable of withstanding Category 5 winds.
Comments
BMW 2 months, 3 weeks ago
it has been 5 years since Dorian and this is as far as they have gotten? Imagine what the United Nations is saying about our corrupt country. Incompatency from the top to the bottom.
JackArawak 2 months, 3 weeks ago
a shelter for 200 people will leave a lot of souls to fend for themselves. Corruption, cronyism and clowns running this country decade after decade
Dawes 2 months, 3 weeks ago
Pass a law that the politicians who make these decisions must go to these buildings during storms. Reckon the quality will change pretty fast then,
truetruebahamian 2 months, 3 weeks ago
What inherent issues?
AnObserver 2 months, 3 weeks ago
So the price of the shelter has doubled, the roof that is supposed to withstand a major hurricane has collapsed during a simple rainstorm, and the "contractor" who is building it has no other work featured on their website other than this single building.
Something doesn't sound right here.
bahamianson 2 months, 3 weeks ago
The good thing about this is , the roof collapsed now and not in a hurricane . Imagine 200 people in that shelter , roof collapses and the winda are 135 mph. That would be a hundred million dollar lawsuit for the government and deaths. The PLP would lose the election for many terms. Must be the dude whom got the contract for Bamsi and had no insurance.
Bonefishpete 2 months, 3 weeks ago
These things happen. Seen it myself. You simply have got to brace the trusses better. Simply remove trusses and put back. Then usually some break and have to be replaced from who knows where.
TalRussell 2 months, 3 weeks ago
"We are watched. Just because we have seen it, or not, doesn't mean it hasn't happened. But limited to what we've seen." -- Kamala "BrainLocked" Harris. -- WDUHinexplicableBy$4.8++millions. -- Hope is someone involved. does have one or more --Paid-up insurance policies' -- Yes?
hj 2 months, 3 weeks ago
Another"teachable moment". Sounds like the Bahamian people will have to pay even more now for a building that is supposed to withstand major hurricanes while its roof simply collapsed during a rain. Is it any wonder that the government is getting more aggressive in its tax collection? The people must pay for incompetence and corruption.
ExposedU2C 2 months, 3 weeks ago
The comments to this news story are more pathetic than the story itself.
ThisIsOurs 2 months, 3 weeks ago
How so? The GB shelter was scheduled to be completed for 600,000 back in June and would house 300 people. 4.6 million? I recall the text messaging Marco's alert that offered features available by subscription for 500 dollars a month was contracted at about that price as well. It is inexplicable.
I've never heard of Mosko getting a contract for a building and the roof collapsing. Someone said to "brace it better". Isnt there a science to this? The width the length the height determine how much support it needs etc etc? No need to watch roof after roof collapse then say not a big deal it just needed stronger braces.
It is inexplicable. Something was wrong that had nothing to do with braces. If this were a fairy tale I'd say someone take the money and run and leave an unskilled incompetent to complete the 4.6 million job for 300,000 dollars. But this een a fairy tale so that couldnt happen.
TalRussell 2 months, 3 weeks ago
Oops... But For Them GD Ruff Trusses' Collapses'. – Those two political parties. longest ever awaited hurricanes came and passes(( popoulaces' shelter in Marsh Harbour, Abaco is on track to be completed by December 2024* according to Disaster Risk Management Authority (DRM) Managing Director Aarone Sargent. --- Aug 14, 2024 ---
birdiestrachan 2 months, 3 weeks ago
The headlines says roof the article says truss, oh the journalist, a roof consist off plywood tar paper shingles , tiles or metal, big difference, never mind doc Sands he believes you all do not know any better, I do not know is he surrounding himself with persons from the looney farm ?.?
TalRussell 2 months, 3 weeks ago
An apprentice ruffer would know that -- Tar Papers, -- Acts as the Ruff's underbloomers. -- Yes?
benniesun 2 months, 3 weeks ago
omen :something that is considered to be a sign of how a future event will take place. (Cambridge Advanced Learners dictionary 4th edition)
TalRussell 2 months, 3 weeks ago
@ComradeBenniesun, Is your Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary 4th edition), -- The British or American language edition. -- Yes?
SP 2 months, 3 weeks ago
THE trusses on a hurricane shelter being built in Abaco collapsed. 😳
The shelter was originally slated to open in May 2021. 🥸
Officials say they expect it to be completed by the end of this year. 🤣
He called the rise to $4.8m “inexplicable”. 😎
We don’t want to make things like this political, but the incompetence is rife here,” he said. 🙄
In response to the criticism, Leon Lundy, the minister responsible for the Disaster Risk Management Authority, noted that no one was inside when the roof collapsed and emphasized that safety is the top priority. 😬
He said despite the setback, the contractor remains committed to delivering a quality hurricane shelter capable of withstanding Category 5 winds. 😮
March on Bahama land 🤔
Sickened 2 months, 2 weeks ago
I would certainly lay the blame on slavery and those darned colonialists.
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