The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

SOME residents offered resistance when authorities advised them to evacuate low-lying areas in Andros ahead of Hurricane Matthew, The Tribune has learned.

Gregory Knowles, island administrator for Mangrove Cay and South Andros, said on Wednesday afternoon that there was an incident with a senior citizen in South Andros that required intervention from law enforcement officials.

Residents had been warned that the storm was expected to make landfall on the island as a category 4 hurricane with high winds and storm surges.

“We had some resistance from a 94-year-old lady who said ‘only God could tell her to move’,” Mr Knowles said.

“So we had to get police and Defence Force officers in to bring her out of her home and into the elderly home where it's safer. She eventually settled down and followed instructions. But otherwise, everybody is prepared because this is not a storm they are taking lightly. We’ve done all the preparation that we could prior to today. All of our shelters, four in South Andros and two in Mangrove Cay, were open from 8am. We’ve really concentrated on evacuating our senior citizens who are the most vulnerable group” Mr Knowles added.

Cleola Cooper-Pinder, deputy administrator for Central Andros, also said that some residents have ignored the advice to leave low-lying areas.

“We’re going to them personally and if they still refuse, we’re going to take names and contact information and hand those over to law enforcement,” she told The Tribune. “But we’re prepared as far as possible and all of our shelters are open and teams including Social Services, Department of Health and Ministry of Works are on the ground” she added.

Ivan Ferguson, administrator for the North Andros region, expressed satisfaction that “all the necessary plans were made in the event of any disaster.”

“We had a press briefing to warn the community of the danger the storm posed to them and that we were expecting strong winds and high tide. Those along the coast were warned to leave and/or go to higher ground and shelter. We’re driving around to personally caution residents.

“Many of the houses are secured. That wasn't the case yesterday so it is clear people realise now how serious this situation is,” Mr Ferguson added.

The North Andros administrator said that a team is also dealing with vegetation and livestock at the Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI). “But we’re most concerned with persons who live along the coastline. They're set to receive the brunt of the storm,” Mr Ferguson stressed.