The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE owner of a private airline yesterday said he is planning to offer discounts to persons seeking to fly emergency relief supplies to Family Islands devastated by Hurricane Joaquin.

Paul Aranha, president and director of operations of Trans Island Airways (TIA), said while his financial team has not yet determined the discount rate, the airline plans to continue to serve “these islands in our charter operations from normal day–to-day periods through discounts.”

Moreover though, Mr Aranha said, TIA will continue to support the storm-battered islands in the long-term, even if it means “doing one flight a week for the next three months.”

TIA, in conjunction with various government agencies and Bahamian and international aid groups, is utilising its fleet to provide air transport for emergency relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Joaquin. TIA is also providing air transport for government officials and others seeking to make assessments and provide assistance to the storm-impacted islands.

Just last week, Mr Aranha announced TIA’s partnership with Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner in organizing emergency relief for the storm-battered islands.

“As long as there is a need we will be there,” he told The Tribune while at Odyssey Airport, where teams were flying out to provide relief. “We’re going to continue to serve these islands in our charter operations from normal day-to-day periods through discounts. We haven’t figured out how much we can do off of our normal pricing but we’ll continue a discount for anyone that’s affected by the weather that needs to get down there, we’re going to have a discount for them to fly supplies down.”

He added: “We’re in it for the long term, we’ll continue to support the islands, and if it means that we drop down to doing one flight a week for the next three months to provide the people (a way) in and out to survey the areas, then so be it, but we’ll make sure that we see it through.”

Mr Aranha added that TIA is sparing none of its resources to better facilitate the emergency relief efforts.

“Our mission is to provide the air support to those areas affected by Hurricane Joaquin,” he added. “By doing that, you open up various different areas of providing aerial support. So we are taking (Royal Bahamas Defence Force) officers in and providing them with the additional seats that they need to take supplies.

“We are carrying government officials from the Department of Health, Social Services, BEC, town planners into the areas to do assessments to get things fixed. BTC, we’re taking them in. We’re doing everything that we can that goes into that airlift because we hold the key to getting people in and supplies in.”

According to Mr Aranha, TIA has seen an “overwhelming outpouring of support” from a number of agencies, including Ports International, AML Foods, Chelsea’s Choice, and The Rotary Club, just to name a few.

He also said he has received “tremendous” support from residents in Lyford Cay, Albany and Old Fort Bay, without whom he said TIA “wouldn’t have the funding” to execute its initiative.

Three donation sites have been established across New Providence: Odyssey Aviation at Nassau International Airport, the Seahorse Institute on Soldier Road north of Prince Charles Drive; and The Kitchen Deli on Shirley Street.

Priority supplies are bottled water, non-perishable food items, hand sanitizer or wipes, batteries, flashlights and tools.

Hurricane Joaquin hammered the central and southern Bahamas after it strengthened into a category four storm last Thursday.

The slow moving storm left devastation in Long Island, Acklins, Crooked Island, San Salvador and Rum Cay in particular, destroying homes and buildings with strong winds and heavy flooding.

No fatalities have been associated with the category four hurricane, Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade has said.

Prime Minister Perry Christie has said it will cost tens of millions of dollars to recover from the storm, a statement that was later echoed by FNM Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest.