The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE Grand Bahama Rotary Disaster Relief Committee received a donation from the Bahamas Real Estate Association to help acquire septic tanks for rebuilt and renovated homes on Sweeting’s Cay.

Christine Wallace-Whitfield, president of BREA, presented a cheque to Rotary District 6990 Governor Billie Jane Ferguson yesterday.

She said: “I am so thrilled to be here in Freeport presenting this cheque, which was so graciously donated by the Orlando Regional Realtor Association to Rotary.”

Ms Ferguson said the GB Rotary Disaster Relief Committee is once again assisting people in the Sweeting’s Cay area.

“We are assisting with septic tanks and this donation will go directly towards that,” she said.

Sweeting’s Cay was one of the areas devastated in 2019 during Hurricane Dorian. Most of the homes were swept off their foundations as a result of the surge, which was estimated between 20ft and 25ft.

Rotary Clubs on Grand Bahama and Rotary International as well as other private benefactors, including The TK Foundation, donated building materials and funding to help restore the homes on the cay.

The GBRDRC launched a major home repair project in the community.

When asked for an update on Sweeting’s Cay, District Governor Ferguson stated that they have completed 17 homes there, with the renovation of 16 of them.

“We turned over the homes 80 percent completed, with the remaining 20 percent for the homeowners to complete,” she explained.

“Some of them were able to move in and complete the 20 percent, and some are still waiting for some assistance, and the assistance needed are the septic tanks. And so with this timely donation we will make sure we will get the reminder of those residents back home,” she said.

Additionally, Governor Ferguson said Rotary also assisted with the construction of two homes in West Grand Bahama.

“We had an anonymous donation to Rotary, and we were able to completely construct two homes — one in Sea Grape, Eight Mile Rock, and the other in West End,” she said.

The two homes were turned over during the Christmas and in the New Year.

Ms Ferguson said Rotary has made a significant impact in terms of home restoration on Grand Bahama. She said they have been able to assist in communities from East End to West End.

“We renovated over 1,000 homes with building materials, and we partnered with various NGOs on the island, and persons from other areas to make an impact to Grand Bahama. “So, we have given some sort of normalcy back to the community of Grand Bahama,” she said.