Assessments have already begun on anumber of homes in East Grand Bahama and The Government assuredresidents during a community meeting on Tuesday, October 4, 2022 thatcrews will be on the ground to begin work before month end.

Chairman of the Disaster Reconstruction Authority (DRA) Alex Storr saidThe Government has been conducting assessments for weeks now andadvised the residents from Freetown to McLean’s Town of the process, viathe new Home Owners Assistance Repair Program, which will assist inreturning them to their homes, after being gone since Hurricane Dorianravaged East Grand Bahama three years ago.

“If you have been assessed under the former program, you will need to bereassessed. We have already ordered building material. This is no fluff andPR exercise. This is serious business, the work will begin shortly,” he toldthe residents.

Representatives from the Ministry for Grand Bahama, Ministry of SocialServices and Urban Development, Ministry of Works and Utilities, theDepartment of Environmental Health and Local Government returned toEast Grand Bahama to meet with the residents at Emmanuel Baptist Churchin High Rock.

Storr said The Government plans to conduct an assessment on all of thehomes and will provide building materials for those whose homes needingrepair.

He further explained that, unlike under the previous program, which wascapped at $10,000 per home, The Government is assisting with a totalrebuild for those whose homes were completely destroyed.

The DRA Chairman further revealed that his office will be issuing contractsfor all of the repairs and is presently accepting applications for workers andhiring supervised crews to carry out the work.

“Our hope, my hope, my wish is to have persons from East Grand Bahamahelp to complete the repairs in East Grand Bahama. I don’t want to have togo anywhere else on the island or in the country to find persons to come inEast Grand Bahama to do these repairs,” he told the residents.

“So if you have qualified persons at home that are in need of employmentand have in experience in construction whether it is construction,plumbing, electrical, carpentry, masonry, all of the facets, have them go tothe portal and apply.”

He said they expect to begin signing contracts as soon as next week and tohave work teams on roofs and fixing houses.

“Assessments are still ongoing. We are still on the ground. We do not planto stop until we have repaired every house that we can,” he said.

For those whose houses were completely destroyed, Storr furtherexplained that The Government will rebuild a home for those who qualify,but stressed that it will not be exactly like their previous home, instead itwill be a two bedroom, one bath or one bedroom, one bath structure.

As for Sweeting’s Cay, where there is a major cesspit issue andhomeowners are waiting to obtain their occupancy certificates in order tohave their lights turned on, Storr said that matter is being rectified.

“We have already ordered the cesspit tanks. We hope to have them in handshortly and they will be transported to the island and installed,” he said.

Storr is encouraging residents in need of assistance and those skilled inconstruction to apply to the DRA via the online portal or by phone at352.9111.