The Tribune

AS THE days drag on and large areas of New Providence remain in darkness, Bahamians without any definite word from government as to when the lights will turn on are starting to panic.

When night falls in Carmichael, a young man sits on his steps, a gun at his side. “I have to protect my family,” he says. “My neighbour just up the road told me the other night he was in his yard and a couple of fellas came into his yard and took his generator and there was nothing he could do about it.”

It was so dark, he said, that a person could be standing before him and he wouldn’t know it. “It’s scary man, it’s scary.” He said that electricity came on in the main street on Tuesday, but he lives on one of the side streets, where it is still off. They live in darkness with no word as to when light will be restored, and they are nervous - nervous even to leave their homes to go to their jobs.

Of course, the misinformation churned out daily by social media - much of it false, or partially true, but exaggerated - is not helping to settle anyone’s nerves. The panic at the gas stations, when police had to be called to control a near riot, is being blamed on social media information that there was a shortage of petrol and citizens should hurry up and fill their car tanks or they would be stuck. As a result, residents turned out in droves, which created a near riot, for which police were summoned. The truth was that there was no shortage of fuel. There was damage at Clifton, but this did not create a shortage as fuel was already in a waiting tanker - it was just a matter of getting it to the stations.

It is true the lines were long, but the panic was caused when drivers believed that they would be left with empty tanks if they did not muscle their way to the head of the line.

And then there was the rumour that areas like the Eastern Road would not come on before December - scary, but not true. Calls have been coming in from residents that because of the darkness they fear looting - as a matter of fact they give accounts of what has happened to a neighbour who has lost either a boat engine or a generator, which puts them on edge.

However, from the day Matthew blew its last breath and headed away from the Bahamas, calls have been coming in daily asking if anyone has seen a BEC truck - now BPL (Bahamas Power and Light Company Ltd). Many have panicked because, although they drive around, they can find no BEC trucks on the road making repairs. This sets their imaginations working overtime.

A company spokesman said late yesterday that nine back-up crew arrived from the Caymans and British Virgin Islands last night and will be on the job early this morning. By Friday night, another 25 will arrive and start work early Saturday morning.

The spokesman was confident that 75 per cent of the island would have light by the weekend.

Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller was upset that the company was trying to do the job with a skeleton crew instead of immediately calling in local contractors, former employees who know the system. In answer to his criticism, BPL announced that, in addition to assistance from sister power companies in the Caribbean, they are also getting support from retired BEC employees.

Another rumour making the rounds yesterday and unnerving the public even further was that there was a shortage of police. The report was that many officers were refusing to report for work. Not so. As the storm approached, all police leave was cancelled and all members of the force reported for duty. They were housed at the various police stations.

For example, the entire staff of the Criminal Detective Unit reported for duty and remained on call at the CDU offices throughout the storm.

However, the rumour arose when, after the storm, permission was given to those officers, whose properties were damaged, to return home to secure their families. In other words, the police are doing their duty and working long hours to protect residents. In many areas, they can be seen out on patrol.

However, these are the rumours that create panic and if not checked could cause even more disruption and destruction than the hurricane itself.

At times like these, it is important that the Prime Minister or a senior minister takes to the airwaves to assure the nation that everything is under control and give them some idea of how soon they can hope to have life’s essentials restored.

NEMA is now calling for donations to make it possible to help those throughout the islands who have lost everything. The public is always very generous. However, invariably after such events there are complaints of unfairness - always political.

We must remember that we are all Bahamians - whatever our politics all deserve equal treatment. We must also remember that contrary to the declaration made by a PLP minister many years ago, God did not give this country to the PLP.