The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

ALTHOUGH the government’s storm relief exigency order has expired, Hurricane Joaquin victims can still apply for concessions through the National Emergency Management Agency, according to agency Director Captain Stephen Russell.

“We’re still working them on a case-by-case basis,” Captain Russell said yesterday. “The (exigency) period is over, and those persons who made requests have up until the anniversary of the storm to make good on it once you have an official letter from NEMA.”

“We got quite a bit of persons that did apply, some didn’t bother with it because they just didn’t have the money.”

He added: “Persons can still apply for assistance on the islands. They have to go through their administrators and once they have signed off on the form, they forward it on to us.

“We would seek Ministry of Finance approval to honour their request.”

The central and southern Bahamas were ravaged for two days by the category four storm that brought torrential rain and high winds as it slowly moved through the islands on October 1 and 2, 2015.

Prime Minister Perry Christie declared his intention to sign an exigency order on October 7.

The order covered relief of residents in Acklins, Cat Island, Crooked Island, Exuma, Inagua, Long Cay, Long Island, Mayaguana, Rum Cay, Ragged Island, Samana Cay and San Salvador which suffered hardship or loss as a result of Hurricane Joaquin, and whose claims/applications in respect of such goods are certified by the NEMA director.

The import of goods with tax exemptions was permitted for a period of 90 days beginning October 3, and further exemptions were given on motor vehicles. The government also previously declared the waiver of landing fees, departure tax for non-commercial flights bringing in relief goods, and Department of Customs processing fees on imports in the above-mentioned islands for a period of one month.

The islands of Acklins, Crooked Island, and Long Cay were declared sufferance port areas for a period of three months.

Captain Russell noted that the initial exigency order had been extended to allow for a second 90-day period, which ended April 3.

Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis this week urged the government to extend the exigency order originally granted to affected residents of the Southern Bahamas. Dr Minnis also called for tax collection to be halted in those islands until 2018 to ensure that life in those areas returns to normal as soon as possible.

On Tuesday, Minister of State for Finance Michael Halkitis told The Tribune that an extension was “likely.”

“We normally get an indication from the affected islands of the desire for an extension and act accordingly,” he said.

“We recognise that people may need time to get into a financial position to take advantage of the exigency orders.”