Commander Stephen Russell, director of the National Emergency Management Agency deactivated the National Emergency Operations Centre at approximately 3p.m. Sunday, as the ?all clear? was given for the islands in the projected path of Hurricane Paloma.

At 11 a.m. the Department of Meteorology issued Alert No. 16, the final advisory on Paloma, which had been downgraded to a tropical storm as it passed over Cuba.
Islands in the projected path of the Tropical Storm Paloma were Ragged Island, Exuma, Cat Island, Long Island, San Salvador, Rum Cay, Acklins and Crooked Island.

In the NEOC, final contact was made with those Family Island Administrators and Chief Councillors to advise them on the status of the storm, and to issue the final advisory. Commander Russell said he was pleased with the level of preparation and response by the team at NEMA, and the Local Government representatives on the Family Islands.

He added that he was also pleased that the storm turned away from The Bahamas, but sympathized with Cubans who felt the brunt of the Category Four Hurricane Paloma.

Meanwhile, Commander Russell also paid condolences to residents in Haiti, who lost scores of children when a school collapsed Friday