The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

The South Andros Chamber of Commerce's head yesterday said access to banking and financial services is the main concern for residents as they prepare for a hurricane amid COVID-19 restrictions.

Joe Rahming told Tribune Business that south Androsians are already preparing for what could be a category one hurricane that scores a direct hit on their island. “People seem to be prepared in shopping for food items and they are pretty much prepared to an extent," he said.

"My business runs a water depot and water machine, and selling water keeps me very busy. We sell quite a bit of water. We have two suppliers in this area. I supply along with somebody else. The only concern is that people are having problems with the banking hours, and the number of days that we do have banking.

"That’s a big concern, even with the COVID-19 pandemic, because with limited days you have more people around than if the days were regular days for five days out of the week. So you have more congestion, and more people at the bank at one time, because it is limited days and limited hours. The limited banking hours are not working in terms of preventing the spread of COVID-19.”

Mr Rahming added: “Other than that, we are prepared for the hurricane. It is difficult times for people. We haven’t had a good economy this year. The bonefishing industry was hit by this situation [COVID-19], and people don’t have that extra money to spend, so whatever they have they are trying to do the best with it.”

Tavares Thompson, president of the Central Andros Chamber of Commerce, said: “No one is making any preparation right now so, maybe by Friday, people will begin making preparations. But no one has started to make any serious preparations yet; we are just watching to see what is happening with it. I just took down my shutters from the last storm, Isaias, that just passed, so we are just watching and waiting.”

Responding to concerns over adequate water and food being on the island, Mr Thompson said, “We have sufficient water here, and the boat just left yesterday to replenish the food store, so we should be stocked and prepared if the storm comes our way.

"They closed the bridge in Fresh Creek because it is was damaged. That’s the only thing serious that happened here recently. The mail boat (New G) slammed into the dock yesterday, but other than that everything else is fine here in Central Andros."