The Bahamas Disaster Reconstruction Authority is leading the Government’s effort to provide temporary housing solutions for Bahamians displaced by Hurricane Dorian.
The Authority has chosen to erect temporary domes as one of the solutions. Domes are under construction in Spring City, Abaco.
The Authority has budgeted $6.4 million for the domes. An estimated $4 million has been committed to cost.
This $4 million cost includes the purchase of 250 domes; the preparation of the land for the domes; the purchase of equipment related to the installation; the installation of infrastructure for the domes; and operation of the family relief centre.
The InterShelter domes the Authority purchased have been structurally and field tested – the field testing being over 30 years.
The domes are designed to withstand hurricane-force winds of 200-plus miles per hour.
The domes have been used around the world and by the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force.
The domes are reusable after the their initial use.
On Friday, January 24, 2020, a fake news story circulated on social media stating that the real cost of the domes is $900 per unit. This fake news post suggested the Authority overspent or misinformed the public on the real dome cost.
This social media post is false and extremely misleading.
The cheap domes for $900 referred to in the fake news social media post are of significantly lower quality than the domes purchased by the Authority.
It is unclear if the cheap domes were tested for quality at international standards. It is also unclear what materials were used in their construction.
It is irresponsible of anyone to suggest the Authority should purchase cheap, untested domes that cannot stand up to the conditions in our country.
The Authority advises Bahamians to get their news and information from responsible news sources. There is a large amount of fake news circulating created by uniformed people.
The temporary domes the Authority purchased are FREE of charge to those displaced by Hurricane Dorian.
Information regarding applications for the domes will be issued in the near future.
