The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

SIX months after officials from the Disaster Risk Management Authority said Abaco’s long-awaited hurricane shelter would be completed by the end of last year, residents say the facility remains unfinished.

A video shared with The Tribune yesterday showed the shelter in Central Pines, Abaco, still under construction. The structure was covered with scaffolding at the front. While some areas appeared plastered, the building remained unpainted. The roof lacked shingles, though an ice and water shield had been applied. Several doors and windows had been installed. 

Roscoe Thompson, chairman of the Marsh Harbour Spring City Township, criticised the government for the slow progress. He noted the project has been ongoing for about five years, having been reviewed and delayed by successive administrations.

“There is no excuse for this Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) administration and the DRA in justifying why it is not finished yet,” Mr Thompson said.

Mr Thompson also argued that the government has not prioritised adequate funding for the shelter, which is expected to cost $4.5m. He suggested that funds spent on consultants in various ministries could have been better allocated to critical projects like this one. 

A Dundas Town resident said that, from the outside, the shelter seemed to be making some progress. However, they were unable to confirm if work on the interior — designed to accommodate 200 people during a hurricane — had advanced. The resident emphasised the importance of the shelter, noting that access to an operational facility would greatly benefit the island, especially in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian’s devastation in 2019.

Another resident described the delays as a “slap in the face”, highlighting ongoing trauma from Hurricane Dorian and the fear of remaining on the island during storms. 

Last year, some residents expressed scepticism when DRM Authority managing director Aarone Sargent announced during an Office of the Prime Minister press briefing that the shelter would be completed by the end of 2024.

Mr Sargent publicly rejected their scepticism, saying: “There’s a commitment to ensure that the shelter is completed before the end of year.” 

The project has faced setbacks.

In September, trusses on the shelter collapsed as Abaco marked the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Dorian. Photos of the incident went viral.

In December 2020, the Minnis administration broke ground on the Abaco hurricane shelter and community centre, initially designed to accommodate 800 people. The project was expected to cost $1.8m and be completed by May 2021. However, that deadline was missed, and the Minnis administration was voted out of office shortly after.

DRM officials did not respond to The Tribune’s questions up to press time.