Opposition Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis yesterday called on the government and other officials to stop the "blame game". He said the hundreds of Bahamian families suffering in the aftermath of Hurricane Joaquin do not care about who is to blame, only about getting their lives back on track. Minnis said there will be a time to address these issues, but the focus must remain on returning affected residents to some sense of normalcy.
"They are concerned about improving the quality of their lives today," Minnis said. "They are concerned about having somewhere to stay, something to eat. They are concerned about their condition today. They are not concerned that [MICAL MP V. Alfred] Gray is at fault, or this one is at fault or the next one.
"That will not feed them. That will not put bread on their tables. That will not put a roof over their heads and stop the elements from attacking them. They are concerned about their livelihoods and their kids' livelihoods. They are concerned about their environment and those are the issues one has to deal with."
Days following the storm, Gray suggested that "heads should roll" over some government agencies' handling of Joaquin. He said the Department of Meteorology and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) could have done a better job with their advisories and warnings. He said these agencies were "seemingly caught off guard". Many residents said they were caught off guard by the storm and had they been adequately warned they may have fared better.
Christie has defended the Department of Meteorology and NEMA. He said those agencies "worked steadfastly" ahead of the powerful storm.
Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner called Gray's suggestion "foolish" and questioned whether he was experiencing post-traumatic stress.
NEMA has ultimately accepted responsibility for the vast majority of shelters on the impacted islands not opening, but the organization has refused to take the blame for its communication challenges during and following the storm.
Psychological impact
As part of the government's relief efforts, Minnis urged the government to focus on the "long lasting psychological impact".
Counselors have visited several of the islands impacted by the storm to speak with residents, many of whom lost their homes, according to officials.
"The government should also be focusing on what the psychological impact will cause tomorrow," Minnis said. "If they don't, we are going to have a medical meltdown. We are going to have serious problems; problems within the families, problems within the schools, problems within the communities and problems within the job places. All of that will lead to problems within the country."
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