Hurricane Irene wreaks havoc in The Islands

Irene wreaks havoc

By KRYSTEL ROLLE
Guardian Staff Reporter
krystel@nasguard.com

Hurricane Irene started its exit from The Bahamas last night, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.

While New Providence and Grand Bahama were spared the full force of the storm, many Family Islands, particularly the southeastern and central islands, were pummelled, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) reported.

The center of the storm passed over Eleuthera and Abaco for much of yesterday.

Power lines and telecommunications lines went down in some islands as the category three storm roared across the archipelago.

But no loss of life or injuries were reported.

Damage on Cat Island, Rum Cay, Crooked Island, Acklins and Mayaguana is expected to be in the millions of dollars, as hundreds of homes, churches, other buildings and infrastructure were either damaged or destroyed.

According to NEMA reports, all the islands were impacted in some way.

In New Providence, fallen trees and damaged roofs constituted most of the damage.

In Lovely Bay, Acklins, 90 percent of the settlement is reportedly gone, according to NEMA.

“House roofs and several homes [were] blown away.  Power lines and trees went down in the roads, and the shelter’s population increased,” said a NEMA statement.

Communication on that island was limited yesterday.

Meteorologist Godfrey Burnside said the Automatic Weather Station in Arthur’s Town, Cat Island, recorded gusts of 140 miles per hour around 2 a.m. yesterday, and Moss Town, Exuma, recorded gusts up to 127 miles per hour.

“That is significant and that is why you hear all the damage taking place,” Burnside said.

Just over two inches of rain had fallen at Lynden Pindling International Airport at 9 a.m. yesterday, and more was expected.

NEMA said it received reports that 40 houses received major damage in the communities of Betsy Bay, Pirate Wells and Abraham’s Bay on Mayaguana.

Concerns were also expressed by the Assistant Commissioner of Police John Ferguson in reference to three people detained at a police station there, NEMA said.

On Cat Island, hurricane force winds brought down scores of power lines and left the island without any form of telecommunication, NEMA reported.

NEMA also received reports that the administrator’s home in north Cat Island lost its roof.

Areas in Arthur’s Town and Dumfries flooded.  The roof of the police station in Arthur’s Town was blown off and police vehicles were flooded.  St. Andrew’s Church also lost its roof, NEMA reported.

In Rum Cay, which is home to about 100 people, NEMA received a report that homes have major damage, roads are impassable due to fallen trees and the bridge in Port Nelson is lost.

According to the Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC), residents in most islands with the exception of Inagua — where power was restored to the majority of customers — continued to experience outages up to last night due to controlled power station shut downs or downed power lines.

NEMA said at least one school was damaged on Crooked Island.

The school in Colonel Hill lost its roof and two classroom blocks.  Additionally, St. John’s Baptist Church and several other buildings also lost their roofs.

That island experienced winds around 120 miles per hour, according to NEMA.

Long Island Administrator Jordan Ritchie said the main concern was flooding in Clarence Town.

However, a number of homes and St. Paul’s Anglican Church received roof damage.

Meantime, Central Eleuthera Administrator Chrisfield Johnson said based on initial reports, Eleuthera fared relatively well.

“So far we haven’t had loss of life.  There is some structural damage to buildings but we haven’t done an assessment so we don’t know the extent,” he told The Nassau Guardian yesterday evening.

It was still too dangerous to go out, he said.

“The only thing that remains is to do an assessment of the environment,” Johnson said.

“There is a tremendous amount of debris on the roads.  Our first priority is to clear the streets, so we’re putting together a team of workers to clear the streets to give us access.”

He said he would determine the severity of the impact of Irene sometime today, when he expects to be able to conduct a door-to-door assessment.

NEMA Director Captain Stephen Russell said NEMA is still determining how it will access the affected islands, as transportation may be limited over the next few days.

NEMA is expected to release a more detailed statement on the damage caused by Irene sometime today.

Aug 26, 2011

thenassauguardian

Caribbean Blog International

Dengue fever and hurricane Irene

Dengue fever and the hurricane

thenassauguardian editorial

Based on the forecasted track yesterday, it seems certain that Hurricane Irene will hit some parts of The Bahamas.  If the eye of the system passes over New Providence, the heavy rainfall associated with the storm could add to the dengue fever problem we already have on our main island.

The Ministry of Health last week confirmed that there have been more than 3,000 cases of dengue fever in The Bahamas since the recent outbreak began.  There has also been a confirmed death from the virus.  The middle-aged woman’s death was one of four deaths the Ministry of Health was investigating last week.  However, it is assumed that there have been more cases and deaths than have been reported.

The outbreak has been so bad that the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) has asked all individuals experiencing dengue fever symptoms to contact its hotline to speak with a healthcare professional in order to obtain the relevant information before coming to hospital.

Irregular garbage collection and inadequate fogging by the Department of Environmental Health Services have been suggested by some as contributing factors behind the outbreak.  The virus is spread by the bite of the Aedes aegypti mosquito.

New Providence has long had a poor drainage system that is inadequately maintained.  Any rain causes flooding in the most developed island in the country.

The Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of the Environment need to prepare for what is to come.  Those drains that have not been serviced in a while need to be cleared in the short time we have left before the storm hits.

We also need to ensure that fogging is increased, considering that as a result of the storm there will be more standing water on the island that mosquitoes could breed in.

This dengue fever outbreak has taken a toll.  It has harmed and killed Bahamians, reduced productivity at businesses due to staff illness and it has been a burden on the health care system and insurance companies.

An expansion of the outbreak could lead to problems with our tourism industry.  The United States has already warned its citizens about the outbreak.

The government has urged residents to do their part to help with the problem.  We agree that residents should ensure that outdoor containers that could store water should be removed, or regularly emptied, to eliminate breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

These micro-level activities are essential.  However, the government also has to ensure that those necessary macro-level preventative measures are done to minimize the likelihood of a further expansion of the outbreak.

Aug 23, 2011

thenassauguardian editorial

Caribbean Blog International

Wikileaks - US Embassy Nassau cables: Fred Mitchell criticizes the decision-making process in Perry Christie's Cabinet

Wikileaks reveals Mitchell 'criticism' of Christie cabinet

tribune242




CRITICISM of the decision-making process in Perry Christie's Cabinet made by then Minister of Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell have been revealed in the latest US Embassy cables released by Wikileaks.

During a lunchtime meeting hosted by US Charge Robert Witajewski for Mr Mitchell and then Permanent Secretary for the US Foreign Ministry Patricia Rodgers on March 29, 2004, Mr Mitchell complained of prolonged Cabinet debate, according to the newly-released cable about the 'Bahamian perspective on Caricom and Haiti'.

In response, inquiries from the US envoy about the status of ratification of the comprehensive maritime agreement (CMA), which had been negotiated over 18 months, Mr Mitchell said it had been decided there would be a formal briefing to the Cabinet about the document because of its significance and complexity.

"Optimistically, Mitchell thought that this could be completed in two Cabinet sessions over a two-week period," Mr Witajewski reported in the cable.

"What is essentially a codification and rationalisation of existing agreements, Mitchell again wistfully mused about how the Bahamian decision-making process might be improved.

"He related that he had learned as a result of his Caricom attendance that in other Commonwealth countries, debate and intervention on issues in the Cabinet is restricted to their ministers whose portfolios are directly impacted by the issue, or ministers that assert fundamental issues of principle.

"In contrast, Mitchell intimated, in the Christie Cabinet of the Bahamas operates much less efficiently since any minister can intervene and express a view on any issue before the government."

When contacted by The Tribune yesterday, Mr Mitchell said: "I didn't say that, I dont think I said that at all. I just don't see myself engaging in that kind of dialogue with a US diplomat."

But according to the cable, the then Foreign Minister also complained about Caricom's "cumbersome" decision-making style and said too much time was wasted by the ceremonial opening and closing of the sessions at the latest meeting of Caricom heads of government in St Kitts.

He said if each government had not insisted "on getting their own paragraph" into the final declaration, "they might have both accomplished more and not have been forced to hold their closing press conference at 2am," according to the cable.

Caricom-US relations were also discussed during the meeting, as the status of ex-Haitian president Jean Bertrand Aristide, and Caricom's request for a UN investigation of the events related to Aristide's resignation and departure from Haiti, also came under discussion.

Mr Witajewski reported that Mr Mitchell described a 'north-south' division within Caricom on Haiti, as northern Caribbean countries are more careful to balance their interests with Caricom and the US, being cognisant of the importance of their relations with the US, while the southern Caribbean nations are, "guided by political agendas".

Mr Mitchell warned the US not to "overreact" to Jamaica's offer to take in ex-President Aristide as he insisted the US should not be concerned with or opposed to Aristide's presence in the Caribbean.

And he, "argued that a perceived 'banishing policy' has racial and historical overtones in the Caribbean that reminds inhabitants of the region of slavery and past abuse."

The former Minister also insisted the US should not be concerned with Aristide meddling in Haiti's internal affairs from Jamaica, and was, "emphatic that Jamaica will not allow Aristide to play such an intrusive role and would 'deal' with Aristide if such a situation were to arise."

In his comments on the meeting, Mr Witajewski commented on Mr Mitchell's character.

He said: "Foreign Minister Mitchell was his usual business-like self during lunch as he pursued his agenda of downplaying the consequences of a division between Caricom and the United States on Haiti.

"Underlying many of Mitchell's arguments was the premise that Caricom/The Bahamas as small countries take (and are entitled to take) principled stands while the US necessarily engages in real politick.

"Despite a life-long career as a politician in a country where politics is personalised to the extreme, neither kissing babies nor making small talk comes naturally to Fred Mitchell.

"He prefers to deal with agendas expeditiously and then engage in philosophical discussions or reviews of international relations drawing on his seminar's at Harvard's Kennedy School.

"Holding two time-consuming portfolios, managing the civicl service and foreign policy, is also taking its toll on Mitchell's private time.

"Mitchell told Charge a year ago that he hoped to write a 12 chapter book combining policy, history and personal ideology to be published on his 51st birthday. Ruefully, he admitted he hasn't progressed beyond chapter four."

Although he published a third edition of his book 'Great moments in PLP history' last year, including a previously unpublished essay entitle 'Pindling and Me', Mr Mitchell has not yet completed the project he spoke of seven years ago.

As he approaches his 58th birthday on October 5, Mr Mitchell said he still plans to write his book, before he retires, but it has taken longer than he anticipated.

"It's a combination of allocating the time to do it and putting retrospective notes in order, with the difficulty being that I am an active politician," Mr Mitchell said.

"But I am hoping to do it before I retire."

August 22, 2011

tribune242

Caribbean Blog International

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham appeals to all Bahamians to assist in the crime fight... says the government is resolute in its effort to reduce the level of criminality

Ingraham: All Bahamians must assist in crime fight

By Krystel Rolle
Guardian Staff Reporter
krystel@nasguard.com

Acknowledging that crime is unacceptably high, Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham yesterday appealed to all Bahamians to assist in the crime fight, adding that the government is resolute in its effort to reduce the level of criminality.

“On the issue of violent crime I use this occasion to appeal to all citizens and sectors of society -- schools, churches, civic organizations, the business community and others -- to support efforts to combat crime and its causes,” Ingraham said during the Free National Movement’s Anniversary Service of Thanksgiving at the Cousin McPhee AME Church on Carmichael Road.

“And I appeal to all sectors of society, including those in politics, to refrain from associating with and from making statements that excuse criminality or give comfort to criminals.  Together we can defeat those who seek to destroy our peace, tranquillity and economic well-being.  They are a small minority and we must determine, as the majority, not to allow the small number of bad apples among us to poison our environment.”

Ingraham said statistics show that crimes are being committed by persons from all walks of life, including those who come from good family backgrounds.  He added that the country is “challenged” by violent crime and unemployment. “We are best able to tackle both,” he said.

Ingraham noted that his government brought the country out of troubles before and is prepared to do it again.

“By our deeds, we and others are known.  Others governed during a time with violent crime and murder spiralled to unprecedented levels, unchecked drug trafficking and related crime changed the mores and behavior of far too many of our people and unemployment reached historic highs.  We brought our country back from those terrible lows and we are working diligently now to stop and reverse the threats to the quality of life of our people,” he continued.

His statement came one day after the 92nd murder was committed in the country.  A Haitian man was killed in his store on Palm Tree Avenue on Saturday evening.  He was shot in his neck during what is believed to be an attempted robbery.

The unemployment rate in New Providence dropped slightly from 14 percent to 13.2 percent.  Grand Bahama’s unemployment rate dropped from 17.4 percent to 15.4 percent. However, the number of people who are no longer looking for work (discouraged workers) also dramatically increased by 34.8 percent.

But despite those challenges Ingraham said the country has much to celebrate. “We also have significant national accomplishments, and are nowadays respected the world over.  It is in our power, with God’s help, to raise levels of civility and common accord between citizens and to win greater peace in our communities,” he said.

Ingraham, who is serving his third non-consecutive year as prime minister, noted some of the national accomplishments his government made over the years.

He said his government improved and extended telephone services, including cellular phone service to the most remote settlements of the country, and made the introduction of cable television and internet services throughout the country possible.

Additionally, he said the government made it possible for the further expansion of the broadcast industry.

“Now every Tom, Dick, and Harry can call radio stations and say what the Lord put in their hearts or what the devil put in their heads,” Ingraham said.

Meantime Dr. Ranford Patterson, pastor of Cousin McPhee Church, called on FNM’s to help restore the nation. He said it will take people who are willing to stand for righteousness.

“This is still the greatest nation,” he said, adding that Bahamians must return to the ideals of the past.

“We must become caring again,” Patterson added.

Aug 22, 2011

thenassauguardian

Caribbean Blog International

The petroleum dealers in New Providence have no legitimate case for fuel price increase; in fact – they are among the highest paid entrepreneurs in the country

By Dennis Dames



The decision to not approve margin increases for petroleum retailers is a prudent and wise one on the part of the prime minister and government of The Bahamas.

I have been in the business for three years working closely with one Mr. Godfrey Clark - dealer. We were operating three Shell service stations: Thompson Boulevard, East Bay Street, and Robinson and Blue Hill Roads.

They were among the lowest volume stations on the Island; yet we were able to survive with profits for the stated period.

The East Bay location was the slowest of the lot, but the shop was able to keep that station afloat.

There are petroleum dealers in New Providence who are making big profits, because they have the volume, and their shops are very profitable. If a dealer is pumping 100,000 gallons of gasoline a month at forty-four cents ($ 0.44) profit a gallon; he makes $44,000.00 dollars – exclusive of the shop earnings.

There are a significant number of service stations on the island that have volume of 100,000 gallons of gasoline a month, and the respective dealers of them are taking home more than $10,000.00 profit monthly.

How much more money is it that they want to take home?

The following stations in New Providence among others are doing more than 100,000 gallons of gasoline a month in my opinion: Shell Saunders Beach, Shell Oakes Field, Shell Harold Road, Texaco West Bay, Esso Wulff Road and Montrose Avenue, Texaco Blue Hill Road and Independence Highway, Texaco Faith Avenue and Fire Trail Road, and all of the On The Run Stations, and Heastie Esso Blue Hill.

I have deliberately left out the diesel and shop sales.

The petroleum dealers in New Providence have no legitimate case for fuel price increase; in fact – they are among the highest paid entrepreneurs in the country.

The island could be saturated with service stations - and that might be the reason why some dealers are not making money; and so they are crying for price increases. That’s not a consumer or political problem; thus - the people should not suffer higher fuel prices for this situation, nor should the government give in to blackmail on the part of petroleum dealers.

Caribbean Blog International

Urban Renewal Facts

Stating the ‘facts’ on urban renewal

Dear Editor,

The Ministry of Labour and Social Development, which has responsibility for the urban renewal program, has taken note of the references to the urban renewal program in a press release by the Progressive Liberal Party issued on August 17, 2011 under the caption, "FNM not in control of crime, failed to fund urban renewal," and in the stories in the print and electronic media, and it issues the following statement in response.

Firstly, the ministry wishes to inform the public that in New Providence, eight urban renewal centers were operational under the former government in the following communities: Fox Hill, Kemp Road, Nassau Village, Englerston, St. Cecilia, Farm Road, Bain and Grants Town and Fort Charlotte.  None of these centers were closed by the government and six, including the Nassau Village center, continue to operate from the same location as they did under the former government.  A ninth center was opened in Pinewood Gardens in 2008.

In Grand Bahama, six centers were operational under the former government, all of which are still open and four continue to operate from the same location as they did under the former government.  A seventh center was opened in Seahorse Village in 2008.

Secondly, there has never been any failure by the government to fund urban renewal.  Funds for the program have been allocated on a annual basis since 2007 as follows:

• 2006/2007 - $2,450,000

• 2007/2008 - $2,500,000

• 2008/2009 - $3,000,000

• 2009/2010 - $2,800,000

• 2010/2011 & 2011/2012 - $2,301,822.

The current allocation was based on the pattern of expenditure over the previous years.

The urban renewal program continues to operate a number of community based programs.

As has been the case for the past three years, all of the centers in New Providence held a summer program for children in July 2011 at a public school in the community where the center is located.   Almost two full pages of photographs of some of the activities of the camps were recently featured in the print media.  In Grand Bahama, the camps were held for two weeks during the month of July 2011.

All centers in New Providence and Grand Bahama continue to operate afterschool programs during the school year, and since May 2011 a number of teachers have been engaged as tutors in an effort to enhance the quality of instruction.

Similarly, a number of qualified musicians have been engaged as band instructors for New Providence and Grand Bahama to enhance the competence of band members.  In Grand Bahama, the Royal Bahamas Police Force still provides assistance with the bands.

In Grand Bahama, as an extension of the urban renewal sewing program, a school uniform sewing workshop was introduced in August 2010 to provide instruction to persons in the making of school uniforms under the direction of a trained seamstress.

The workshop was a tremendous success and the 2011 workshop is currently in progress.  In Grand Bahama, an employability skills program is also offered, which provides instruction for unemployed persons in a number of areas, including office procedures and computer applications.

The urban renewal program continues to partner with other government agencies, including the Department of Social Services, the Department of Environmental Health Services and the Royal Bahamas Police Force for the delivery of services and the operation of programs.  Joint activities include, community walkabouts to identify problems and the means by which they can be addressed.

The program also continues to partner with community based organizations.  For the past several years, a church in Nassau Village has served as a home base for the band as is the case with Ft. Charlotte.  A number of churches also serve as meeting places for the senior citizen's associations.  The ministry wishes to remind the public that a comprehensive report on the urban renewal program was tabled in Parliament in October 2009.

The ministry acknowledges with appreciation the continued support of communities where urban renewal centers are located for the program and the public and private sector partners who assist with the implementation of programs.

 

Yours, etc.,

The Ministry of Labour and Social Development

Aug 19, 2011

thenassauguardian

Caribbean Blog International

To Messrs Keith Bell and Dion Smith, Mrs. Hope Strachan and company: Urban Renewal 1.0 is still live until the public is fully appraised about its dirty secrets under the Perry Christie administration of 2002-2007

By Dennis Dames


If Urban Renewal was so great, wonderful and rewarding under the Christie administration – [2002-2007], why did the respective communities and their so call concerned residents, business owners and pastors abruptly ceased to be active and kind after the PLP lost in 2007?

The award winning programme under the Christie government has proven itself to be an elaborate gravy train and a hoax.

I have been with the government’s Urban Renewal Programme since 2008, and I have found out that in the respective districts of which we serve, they are filled with people who are chronically dependent on the administration for their every need. They are not interested in togetherness, and doing excellent things for themselves and their neighbors.

Divisiveness is the order of the day, and politics is the official religion and driving force in the lives of dwellers in the respect Urban districts.

Pastors are too political to notice that their constituencies and flock need them; and residents are too occupied with messing-up one another, instead of being industrious and considerate citizens.

We in the Urban Renewal Programme are essentially community facilitators. We are in the particular areas to help residents to better themselves and their surroundings. We are not room service waiters; nor do we subscribe to the notion that Bahamians must be spoon fed by their Members of Parliament and government.

Our vision is to make a lasting impact on those to whom we serve, and to motivate them to be enduring citizens of the peace and prosperity. When we would have moved on, our desire is to leave in place durable programs like the after school initiative, the seniors association, the employment assistance scheme and others that are eternally embraced by the various communities, and their motivated and useful residents.

When the PLP lost the general election of 2007, almost everyone involved with Urban Renewal, and helping their communities in a so called positive light just vanished in the thin air.

It’s wickedness and corruption on the part of those individuals; especially pastors!

This is the reason why the country is in its deplorable state; people today are not genuine and most of us are only concerned about ourselves period.

Now, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) is talking about Urban Renewal 2.0 if they win the next general election. Not so fast Messrs. Keith Bell and Dion Smith, Mrs. Hope Strachan and company.

We have not finished talking about Urban Renewal 1.0 yet.

Why is it for example, that certain police officers were given their walking-papers after the Free National Movement (FNM) won the 2007 general election for their unacceptably corrupt contributions to the Christie award winning Urban Renewal Programme?

Why is it that every bank account concerning the award winning Urban Renewal Programme was closed by May 03, 2007 by crooked operatives? How much money was involved and what happen to those funds?

Yes, Urban Renewal 1.0 is still live until the public is fully appraised about its dirty secrets under the Perry Christie administration of 2002-2007.

Caribbean Blog International