The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

EMERGENCY management officials say national hurricane shelter inspections will begin on April 1 as part of ongoing readiness efforts, with a renewed focus on categorising shelters by storm type and expanding overall capacity.

A part of the government’s shelter expansion involves the long-delayed Marsh Harbour facility in Abaco, which remains unfinished more than four years after Hurricane Dorian. The shelter — still under construction as of January — is now in its final stages.

“The shelter in Marsh Harbour, Abaco, is now back on track. It is progressing. We had a site visit earlier this week where we toured the facility, and we are pleased,” said Aaron Sargent, managing director of the Disaster Risk Management Authority. “We are trying to wrap up as soon as possible with the United Nations Development Programme.”

The centre is being developed in partnership with the UN and is designed to withstand winds of up to 250 miles per hour. Features will include an industrial kitchen, emergency communications, accessible restrooms and showers, and office space for emergency personnel. The facility, funded through the India-UN Development Partnership Fund, is expected to be completed by December 2024.

Its construction has faced repeated setbacks since ground was broken in December 2020, including structural issues, budget overruns, and public criticism from Abaco residents frustrated with the delays. In September, the roof trusses collapsed, adding to ongoing concerns. Despite these challenges, officials had said the shelter would be complete by the end of last year.

In the meantime, officials are preparing to inspect shelters nationwide beginning next month. Mr Sargent said last year’s network of 144 shelters will be supplemented by additional facilities, including privately owned buildings now being offered for inclusion in the national shelter programme.

The goal is to complete inspections by mid-May, “barring any unforeseen circumstances,” so that the public can be officially informed of which shelters will be operational and suitable for various storm conditions.

This year, for the first time, officials will categorise shelters based on the severity of natural hazards they can withstand. Mr Sargent said this new system is meant to bring transparency and help residents make informed choices during emergencies.

“We want to be able to share with you, if there’s a Category Five storm, which type of shelter you need to go to so that you know which route I need to take to get to this type of shelter, how I need to prepare my family, how much people that can accommodate,” he said.

Officials are also exploring registration systems to avoid overcrowding and improve organisation during evacuations.

Minister of State for Disaster Risk Management Leon Lundy said public education is central to the government’s shelter strategy this year.

He said mass evacuation preparedness exercises are underway, with residents being taught about flood zones, evacuation routes, and the items needed in their emergency kits.

Mr Lundy said the government is working to upgrade all shelters to meet international and humanitarian standards and clearly communicate which shelters are best suited for different hazards, such as flooding, high winds, or varying storm categories.

Although current shelter capacity is limited — with less than ten percent of the population able to be housed under the existing system — Mr Sargent said the government plans to construct eight to ten new multipurpose centres nationwide. These facilities will serve as shelters during emergencies and as community or sporting spaces at other times.

“We’ve been preparing from last season, and definitely when the season ended is when our work really began,” Mr Lundy said. “During the clear skies is when we want to prepare for the grey skies.”