The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

FOCOL Holdings yesterday donated $100,000 to the country’s efforts to rebuild the southern islands left severely destroyed by Hurricane Joaquin.

Speaking during the cheque presentation, Prime Minister Perry Christie said given the country’s archipelagic set up and its vulnerability to hurricanes, the government intends to use this time to implement building codes that will help structures withstand future natural disasters.

The cheque was presented to the Bahamas Disaster Relief Committee at the Office of the Prime Minister on West Bay Street.

Mr Christie said: “It is important for me to note that we are a chain of islands and that any given time during the hurricane season any number of islands can be affected.

“What we want to do is use this occasion to begin building (in a way that) I think protects our countrymen and women, making sure that we put thought into all aspects of the sea impacting residents, where they build, how they build and what kind of protection we put in place by way of legislation to better improve the protection for the land, the buildings, the infrastructure and the people themselves.”

Royal Bank of Canada Managing Director Nathaniel Beneby, who is also heading the Bahamas Disaster Relief Committee, received FOCOL’s donation.

This committee was formed by Mr Christie to fund-raise for disaster relief and recovery efforts.

Mr Beneby said: “We want to assure you and the Bahamian people that the mandate given to us by the government will be carried out and we applaud you for the selection of such an independent committee to ensure transparency (and) accountability. We will take much care and due diligence in ensuring that the expectations are met with regard to trust and credibility in the execution of our duties to ensure that these funds are used for the intended purpose.”

Captain Stephen Russell, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) director, said the rebuilding efforts will begin on November 2 with supplies already loaded into containers to be shipped to the southern islands.