By LEANDRA ROLLE
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
THREE months after Hurricane Dorian struck the northwestern Bahamas, debris removal in the shanty town communities in Abaco are almost complete.
However, operations are still underway to clean up the residential communities on the island, according to Works Director Melanie Roach.
"The Mudd is 85 percent cleared. The Pigeon Peas is 100 percent cleared and Sand Banks 1 is completely cleared. The contractors are currently working on Sand Banks 2," she said in an interview with The Tribune yesterday.
The government awarded contracts to several companies to assist with the clean-up process in Abaco, after Hurricane Dorian ravaged the island in early September.
Speaking on the clean-up efforts in Abaco, Mrs Roach said: "We have now completed all of the scopes of works for the school repairs…and we have seven contractors working in various sections of Dundas Town, Murphy Town, Central Pines, Marsh Harbour, Spring City, Treasure Cay and Blackwood. The smaller contractors, they are doing residential debris removal"
But, as it relates to the Farm Road shanty town, Mrs Roach said occupants there are still posing as a challenge.
"We can't do anything (with the Farm Road shantytown) until it is resolved whether or not those persons are there legally or not, but that's not for us to decide. So once, were advised with the situation, we will proceed," she added.
Minister of State for Disaster Preparedness, Management and Reconstruction Iram Lewis has previously said that his ministry will handle the matter humanely as officials are eager to begin clean-up.
However, while significant clean-up has occurred in the three months since Dorian, a large amount of debris remains due to the widespread damage caused by the historic Category Five storm.
"One of the main concerns we heard in various places was that the debris removal process needs to speed up," said Ms Katherine Forbes-Smith, managing director of the Bahamas Disaster Reconstruction Authority.
"This is the largest clean-up in modern Bahamian history. Hurricane Dorian caused widespread damage and destruction across the Abacos. In order for residents to be able to rebuild and for commerce to be fully restored, the mainland and cays have to be cleaned up."
Ms Forbes-Smith statement came after visiting mainland Abaco and Elbow Cay last Wednesday through Friday along with BDRA'S board members , meeting with residents and stakeholders to assess their needs.
One such need highlighted by BDRA includes more resources, which will be allocated toward a rapid and larger debris removal effort across the Abacos.
On Elbow Cay, members of the community said they need small trucks, additional barge service, waste disposal equipment, workers and funding to finish clearing Hurricane Dorian-related debris. "We had a productive meeting with the organisers of the Elbow Cay clean-up," said Ms Forbes-Smith. "We took a list of specific items they require and will work with them to ensure their needs are met." The Bahamas Disaster Reconstruction Authority was established by Parliament to spearhead the response to Hurricane Dorian in Grand Bahama and Abaco.
• The headline of this story has been changed to reflect that the debris removal that is nearing completion is in the shanty town communities.
Comments
ohdrap4 4 years, 4 months ago
Yes the whole of Abaco consists of Shantitown. 100 % cleared.
Officially the govt all there is to clean and can now absolve itself from any other cleaning.
The headline is stupid.
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 4 months ago
Wow! Absolutely no mention by Melanie Roach of the debris removal costs incurred to date. No compunction whatsoever to account to Bahamian taxpayers for the spending of their tax dollars. Such is her arrogance!
TalRussell 4 years, 4 months ago
Yeah, no. Works Director Comrade Sister Melanie, needs hop her backside on-board her Abaco dingy to scull off to all see for she self, why the other Abaco islands and cays evidence of a single wheelbarrow debris that's been carted away during the last three months - was done by the residents and volunteers - not government contractors.
TheMadHatter 4 years, 4 months ago
That's because the residents of the cays of Abaco are so STUPID to do the clean-up themselves all the while knowing that all the government cleanup money was going to Haitians. They, in my opinion, are therefore complicit in that waste of our money.
DPWRoach 4 years, 4 months ago
This is exactly why I do not like to do telephone interviews with reporters. In future I will go back to issuing written statements.
Firstly I do not write the headlines. At no time did I indicate to the reporter that the majority of the debris had been removed from Abaco. I advised her that contractors were given 3 months to complete their section of the work and depending on their productivity and the need the contracts would be evaluated at that time to see if the contracts need to be extended.
The reporter never asked what had been expended on debris removal but I am happy to advise that up to 16th December, 2019 the Ministry of Public Works has prepared payment certificates for various contractors in Grand Bahama and Abaco for a total value of $6,606,363.19.
Once again the reporter never asked me to comment on the work being done by NGOs and volunteers. The MOPW is very appreciative of the work undertaken by the various NGOs and volunteers as this has greatly eased the financial and administrative burden of this mammoth task. A meeting is held every Wednesday in Abaco between NGOs, MOPW debris removal contractors and government officials to recap the past week, to discuss challenges and to seek solutions to those challenges. TalRussell will be happy to know that I have personally visited Man O War Cay, Green Turtle Cay, and Elbow Cay to meet with the NGO's working on those islands. In addition the MOPW has a Senior Engineer posted in Abaco who continues to monitor the debris removal process by MOPW contractors and to work with the NGOs who are assisting both on the mainland and on the Cays.
As the Prime Minister has said on numerous occasions the work will continue until all affected areas are brought back to a state of normalcy.
DPWRoach 4 years, 4 months ago
The Tribune creates the headlines not the interviewee.
The reporter never asked about the cost of debris removal but as of 16th December, 2019 the Ministry of Public Works has prepared payment certificates totaling $6,606,363.19 for various contractors in Grand Bahama and Abaco. Invoices are submitted on a weekly basis. Checked against the inspection reports and then payment certificates are prepared and processed. Each contractor was given three months to complete their works. Some finished ahead of schedule while others still have many weeks left on their contracts. At the end of the three months the areas will be evaluated to determine the productivity level of the contractors and whether the volume of work remaining requires an extension of the contract.
As the Director of Public Works I have personally visited Green Turtle Cay, Elbow Cay and Man-O-War Cay to meet with the NGOs assisting with debris removal from those Cays. In addition the MOPW has a Senior Engineer posted in Abaco who regularly visits the cays and also meets weekly with all contractors and NGOs involved in the debris removal process. They recap the work completed, balance of work to be done, challenges faced, and solutions to those challenges. Similarly the MOPW office in Grand Bahama daily monitors the work of the debris removal contractors on the island of Grand Bahama and on Waters Cay and Sweetings Cay.
The Government of the Bahamas is very grateful for the invaluable assistance given by the NGOs and this has been communication to them by many means on numerous occasions.
bogart 4 years, 4 months ago
"...debris removal in the shanty town communities in Abaco are almost complete." For decades these clearly illegal structures grew and grew with illegal generators some half a million cost, these areas have been knows by govt officials even doing census, putting out fires and have some 60 million dollars sent to Haiti from huge clusters of these illegal settlements and others. And now sticking more continuous costs to the nation. At least the Authorities should fire the Authorities who were inept in not years ago removing illegal shanty towns and ot least apply lien on land for land clearing, removing debris.
Doing wrong by minority should not be rewarded at expense by majority law abiding citizens who respect Constitution and laws and no individual or group is above Law and Constitution of the sovereign nation of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas
TheMadHatter 4 years, 4 months ago
The article says ... "We had a productive meeting with the organizers of the Elbow Cay clean-up," said Ms Forbes-Smith. "We took a list of specific items they require and will work with them to ensure their needs are met."
Did she tell them, "Now that we have helped out 95% of the Haitians in Abaco, we are coming to see what you worthless disgusting Bahamians want." ?
TheMadHatter 4 years, 4 months ago
Meanwhile, the government is showing its contempt toward the poor Bahamians of hurricane ravaged Grand Bahama by allowing a carnival to come into town to scrape up any spare change Bahamians may have found as they cleaned up the debris from their homes.
Hoda 4 years, 4 months ago
That carnival is free
Seaman 4 years, 4 months ago
This woman is only there to serve her masters. She will say what they tell her to say. In Green Turtle Cay, the Government sent roughly 20,20ft waste management containers to remove the debris off the island and barge it to Nassau. It will take thousands of bins to clean up and two life times to transport it to Nassau. Big contract for someone who knows nothing about Green Turtle Cay. Big money for some MPs. All the Foreign money donated to us will end up Ill spend. It doesn't change...same ole crap. Thank God for American Generosity. Minnis and Brave both been to GTC,they ain't even bring a bottle of water. They come looking for water.
DPWRoach 4 years, 4 months ago
Ministry of Public Works is not responsible for clean up in Green Turtle Cay. That will be dealt with by the Disaster Recovery Authority.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID