Mr. Speaker:
I would again, as I did in my Communication to this Honourable House on the 7th October and on 21st October wish to provide an update and a status report on the Government’s efforts at recovery and restoration following the passage of Hurricane through the Central and Southeast Bahamas exactly one month ago, to date. I am able to report at this time that we are now out of the emergency phase with the exception of the many persons who have experienced total or substantial loss of their homes and property our efforts are concentrated on the long term recovery and re-construction phase. We anticipate that this will present considerable challenges, especially as so many areas of vital public infrastructure were severely damaged or destroyed and given this situation, this will be the focus of my Communication this morning,
I would like to note that most, if nearly all, vital infrastructure has been restored and I will summarise the present situation as follows:
BTC
Cell Sites have been substantially restored on all of the islands affected by Hurricane Joaquin. Cell Sites are still inoperative in the following communities in Long Island: Gordon’s Mortimers and Roses in far southern Long island. In Crooked Island Cell Sites are still inoperative in Majors Cay, Pitts Town and Long Cay. Technicians are working feverishly on these sites. However there is Fixed Line Service at the BTC main offices.
BEC
The Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) is making significant progress with the restoration process in those islands impacted by Category 4 Hurricane Joaquin.
Early last week, teams completed restoration in Rum Cay. A few days later full restoration was also achieved in San Salvador. As of Sunday,1st November, 2015, BEC has completed restoration exercises in Acklins, Long, Cay, Rum Cay and San Salvador- all of which had major infrastructural damage following the storm.
The restoration effort on Long Island, the most populated island impacted by Hurricane Joaquin, is also making steady progress. 84% of customers on that island have had their supplies restored. The southern end of Long Island has proven a challenge for BEC crews. Not only is it more populated but there was also extensive damage to BEC’s distribution network on this part of the island. As of today, BEC has restored supply as far south as Clarence Town and pole and line repair works now continue in Dunmore’s (south of Clarence Town and about 15 miles north of the end of the island). In addition to the overhead line work, some 120 household meters which were damaged by the hurricane have been replaced thus far.
Repair work will commence in Crooked Island, today, Wednesday November 4th, 2015. Necessary supplies, including temporary housing, for the work teams and pole-hole borers, bucket trucks, poles and overhead lines are already on island. BEC emphasizes that the effort in Crooked Island will take some time as a complete rebuild of the generation and distribution networks on the island is needed. Further, areas including True Blue, Cove, Browns, Bullet Hill and Thompson’s remain inaccessible to work crews and thus present challenges with the restoration efforts.
For three weeks BEC was assisted by four teams organized by CARILEC- the Caribbean Association of Electric Utilities. Crews from the British Virgin Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Jamaica and Grand Bahama (Grand Bahama Power Company) were all instrumental in expediting restoration work in the southern Bahamas. Over the weekend crews from Jamaica and the U.S. Virgin Islands departed The Bahamas. Meanwhile crews from the Grand Bahama Power Company and The British Virgin Islands remained in place to complete the restoration works. The crew from the British Virgin Islands will be redeployed to Long Island to assist with restoration work on that island.
I wish to publicly thank CARILEC and the teams from the various Governments and organizations from around the Caribbean for their invaluable assistance and also of course, the teams from the Grand Bahama Power Company. They stood shoulder to shoulder with BEC teams and without them we would not have reached this point in the recovery.
W&SC
Mr. Speaker:
Generally, most of the Water and Sewerage Corporation’s systems were restored within 48 hours after the event. Supply in the more affected islands was restored within three (3) days to a week. Teams were on the ground by Sunday October 04th on all of the affected islands, and most systems were restored within record time, due to the sacrifices of staff, and with the support of NEMA and its sister agencies. Most of the activities of the Water and Sewerage Corporation was conveyed in my Communication of the 21st October, 2015 and the projected works envisioned at that time, particularly the provision of a water tanker in Landrail Point and the provision of a Desalination Plant at Colonel Hill and at Lovely Bay/Chesters are on-going. The Corporation estimates that it has spent some $1.75m on the capital works, including new water tankers trucks for Rum Cay and Crooked Island.
Mr. Speaker:
The central agencies of the Government have also been very active and have made their presence felt on the ground.
Ministry of Education
In Long Island repairs have begun to school buildings with building supplies being procured both locally and from Nassau. Simms Primary School which suffered major damage is being repaired by a local contractor and work should be completed in two weeks. The repairs to the Mangrove Bush and Morrisville Primary Schools are being effected and these schools should be ready for occupancy by the 19th November, 2015. All other schools in Long Island are opened and in normal operation.
In San Salvador, all of the schools are opened and in United States Primary School, in particular, the school trailers were completely destroyed and as a result some students have had to be accommodated in the Seventh Day Adventist church. Repairs are being done, as we speak. In Rum Cay, the school has had to be relocated temporarily to BTC building pending the completion of a new school to be opened in January 2016.
In Crooked Island, all of the school buildings suffered major damage and the majority of children have been re-located to Nassau. A private donor has very generously provided all building materials for the repairs to the Ulric Ferguson Primary School and for the High School. The material left Nassau on Friday, 30th October and the contractors, also engaged by the private donor, will have arrived on the island on Saturday to commence the repairs.
In Acklins all of the schools have opened.
Mr. Speaker, this would be an appropriate juncture for me to acknowledge the kind assistance rendered by the Anglican Central Education Authority (ACEA) in offering waivers of tuition fees to students at various grade levels to attend Anglican Schools in Nassau. This is a magnanimous gesture and one which is highly appreciated by the Government, and of course by parents and guardians of these students.
Ministry of Health
The Ministry of Health and the Department of Public Health in collaboration with Public Hospitals Authority, for the period 2nd October to 1 November, 2015, has deployed 79 healthcare workers comprising Medical Doctors, Nurses, Psychiatrists and Psychologists to the Family Islands including 1 Psychiatrist and 1 Psychologist earmarked to travel to Rum Cay.
Additionally, persons seeking care in the affected areas have access to medication and safe vaccines. Further, requests for additional supplies are being packaged and shipped immediately or within 48 hours of the request.
I would like to make mention of the continuing co-operation of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) who have provided:
10 Satellite phones, 9 of which has been formally presented to the Ministry of Health
2 portable 20kw generators, for Roses, Long Island; Colonel Hill Crooked Island.
4 refrigerators to store medications in Roses, Long Island; Acklins; and Colonel Hill, Crooked Islands.
Social Services
Mr. Speaker,
This is by way of an update from the Department of Social Services which has been at the forefront of the relief and recovery efforts from the beginning. Four teams consisting of fourteen (14) Social Workers were initially deployed to conduct rapid initial damage assessments and assist with distribution of food and water to Rum Cay, San Salvador, Long Island, Crooked Island and Acklins on Sunday 4th, October 2015.
The Department is presently assessing the situation in all of the affected islands and has been able to report that the need in San Salvador and Rum Cay did not appear to be as dire as the need in Long Island, Crooked Island and Acklins even though they suffered damages.
One feature of the delivery of service by the Social Services is the establishment of a HELP DESK here in New Providence. The Desk was established in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane, primarily to assist those Family Island residents relocated to New Providence. Information is entered into a data base which allows their needs to be quickly assessed. To date, the HELP DESK has registered some 119 persons and has assisted many of these persons with food coupons and has provided shelter for eight (8) persons.
Mr. Speaker:
Based on technical and social assessments 600 homes are in need of replacement and repairs.
NEMA has, at this point as an interim measure, sent a quantity of building material for urgent home repairs to the affected areas in an amount of $392,382 (dollars). There is now on order additional building material in the same quantity and dollar value to follow that which has already been shipped and which is being sourced locally and which will be shipped at the earliest opportunity. In order to ensure as smooth a process as possible in the distribution of these materials and the awarding of local contracts NEMA is in the process of taking delivery of 7 trailer homes which will provide temporary homes for those whose houses were totally destroyed while the re-building of new homes are being done.
The Government has put in place Exigency Orders for the import of goods and material to address the acute need to repair and rebuild homes and to replace furniture and appliances. Work teams have even created to assist in the repair of damaged homes in the affected islands using materials shipped to the effected islands and sourced locally in the case of San Salvador.
Mr. Speaker:
I would now like to update this Honourable House on the Summary of Repairs for Government Buildings and Infrastructure and the estimated costs on assessments completed to date. These scopes of works were done jointly by the Ministry of Works and Urban Development and selected private engineering and quantity surveying firms, some of which were listed in my Communication of the 21st October, 2015.
Civil Aviation Repairs
Civil Aviation Repairs is estimated to costs $1,696,939.53. The particulars are:
Crooked Island Terminal - $119,247.08
Acklins Island Airport Terminal Building - $180,374.77
Acklins Apron and Taxiway - $427, 818.57
Deadmans Cay Long Island Terminal Building - $162,279.68
San Salvador Island Terminal Building - $807,219.44
Acklins Infrastructure
There are two options cost wise for Acklins roads which are being presented. The first is to repair roads at existing elevations at an estimated cost of $22,085,347.22. The second is repairing and rebuilding the roads with a 5 feet elevation at an estimated cost of $43,937,358.33.
The estimates cover the roads as follows: Lovely Bay( temporary road); Queens Highway from Spring Point North to Lovely Bay; Camel Point Road; Spring Point Clinic Road; Salina Point Secondary Road; Chesters Road; Airport Access Road and the Airport Parking Lot. A team of engineers from Integrated Building Services and the Ministry of Works and Urban Development visited Acklins yesterday to take detailed measurements for the design of the permanent access road to Lovely Bay with an appropriate sea defence system. The dock at Spring Point has been severely damaged and it is estimated that it will cost $1,388,136.75 to replace.
I would draw to the attention of this Honourable House that estimates for repairs to Government buildings in Acklins are being completed.
Crooked Island Government Buildings and Infrastructure
Repairs to Government buildings in Crooked Island are estimated at $255,051.84.
The total cost of repairs to infrastructure in Crooked Island has been estimated at $3,374,187.14 and includes culverts and carriageway reconstruction, the carriageway and bridge at Bullet Hill and repair to the Landrail Point Dock reconstruction which is estimated at $1,317,186.75.
Long Island Government Buildings and Infrastructure
Repairs to Government buildings such as the Clarence Town Administrative Complex, the Packing House and various clinics are estimated at $682,581.32. Included in this estimate of costs is a recommendation for the reconstruction of repairs to the Clarence Town Clinic.
Repairs to the docks at Clarence Town, Salt Pond and Simms and other infrastructure including seawalls and roads are estimated to cost $2,940,952.27.
Rum Cay Government Buildings and Infrastructure
In terms of infrastructure it is estimated that repairs will cost $1,321,384.63 and will include road repairs, airport airside repairs, dock replacement and the reconstruction of a concrete boat ramp.
San Salvador Government Buildings and Infrastructure
Repairs to public buildings are estimated at $830,000.00 and include residences, the Police Station, the administration buildings and the Grahams Harbour Fish Fry and Recreational Buildings at Graham Harbour.
The infrastructure costs are estimated at $1,445,016.41 with the principal costs being attributed to the resurfacing of the Grahams Harbour dock.
Mr. Speaker:
This island by island summary would give us a fair idea of the cost involved for the restoration of Government buildings and infrastructure in the areas affected by the passage of Hurricane Joaquin. The total Government Buildings and Infrastructure comes in at $56,483,471.47. If we subtract the Acklins Roadwork’s at the 5ft elevation, and go with the roadworks at existing elevation then the total revised costs comes in at $34,398,124.25. Clearly, Mr. Speaker, our work is cut out for us and these are the bare facts which I put before the Bahamian people.
Mr. Speaker:
In the context of almost rebuilding public infrastructure, I would wish to put forward a proposal which has been upper most in the mind of my Government and that is the need to create recreational parks and playgrounds while restoring communities. Many of us in New Providence take it for granted that in every subdivision and residential area there is green space dedicated for recreational purposes and for sporting activities. Very few Family Islands boast such facilities and the only such space is the schools playground. I believe that as we advance and improve our communities this should be an added amenity and as this rebuild occurs we will look very seriously at this proposal.
Mr. Speaker,
I again wish to thank the private sector here in The Bahamas and from all over the world who have made contribution to the Hurricane relief effort. In order to give this fund raising drive a structure and coherence I have appointed a joint private/public committee to oversee the fund raising effort.
The Committee comprises Messrs Nathaniel Beneby, Tracy Knowles, Gowon Bowe, Mike Maura and Jean Chalopin. We believe that this committee will be able to galvanize private sector financial contributions, allocate the resources so raised, provide oversight on the expenditure of funds raised and above all provide transparency to the fundraising and rebuilding process.
Mr. Speaker,
We have come very far in a few short weeks but as I continue to say, we will spare no efforts in restoring normalcy in our communities and allowing our citizens to return to a level of human comfort and decency and in the shortest period of time.
