The Tribune

THE flags flew at half mast across the nation yesterday.

For three years, The Bahamas has been picking up the pieces after Hurricane Dorian. Abaco and Grand Bahama bore the brunt of the storm when it hit on September 1, 2019. The damage done was almost beyond measure. The aftermath is far from over.

In today’s Tribune, you can read some of the survivors’ tales – just as we have reported many times over the past three years.

Deja Kemp tells on page three of how her family faced the fear of the storm surge bursting into their home, forcing them to flee and leave all their belongings behind. She had to carry her five-year-old sister on her back because the water was so high.

Terrece Bootle tells of the challenge ahead of the storm to encourage people from the migrant community to take refuge. In the aftermath, she tells of how “we saw people crying, we saw people trying to get out, they were devastated”.

Another survivor, Charmair Laroda, told of how her family watched hurricane shutters break into pieces in the resort where they were sheltering – and when they tried to get out, the door slammed on her father’s finger, leaving blood gushing.

But these are just the stories of survival in the immediate moment – there are also the stories of trying to cope after the storm.

Ms Kemp tells of being separated from her family with her mother moving to Nassau as she remained behind in Freeport. She lost her car in the storm, so had to start all over again, even as her family was separated by distance.

Ms Bootle told of the damage to Marsh Harbour, the centre of business for the island, where the banks and stores were.

Ms Laroda tells of having had to relocate to Nassau to allow her daughter to finish her schooling.

Meanwhile, William Humes, in Grand Bahama, told yesterday of how he had applied for help from the Disaster Reconstruction Authority – and under the old administration he received some assistance, but said that under the current government all they did was come out, take a survey and nothing has happened.

Mr Humes voiced frustration with the government spending money on other things. He said: “We know government put a lot of funds into areas that are not priorities like having a celebration concert for the victims in Abaco and GB. But at the end of day, I know a whole lot of persons who are still living in really bad, dilapidated conditions in East Grand Bahama.”

The storm may be long over, but its repercussions are still with us.

To his credit, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis acknowledged that yesterday.

Speaking in Abaco during a memorial service yesterday, he acknowledged that not enough has been done to help residents with rebuilding.

He said: “Since coming into office last year, we have done the best we can to ensure that a national response is driven by compassion but there is still so much to do. We need to support you in getting closure for your loss while at the same time, do far more to help you rebuild.”

He noted that residents should soon be able “to see, touch and feel the results”, especially with a new housing programme.

He said: “For far too many of you, this is still too desperately needed. We are going to do our best to bring help, relief and comfort in rebuilding your communities.”

Those words are a welcome acknowledgement that not enough has been done – a blame that carries across two administrations now.

What we need to see is that people will have to wait no longer for the help that they need.

That is financial help. That is physical help in terms of repairs. It is also psychological help for those who are still haunted by the traumas of the storm – or the people who were lost during Dorian.

Many bodies were never identified – and the true death count is likely higher than the official toll.

Survivors remain hurt deeply in ways that are hard to heal – and seeing events such as last night’s concert in Nassau has stirred anger.

Mr Humes said: “I want the government to care more about the Bahamian people and our safety. I left Grand Bahama to find work, and they having a party (the concert) – it is horrible. I am very convinced that the PLP nor FNM care about us. I think the whole Bahamas is seeing this now, and you hearing it all over the streets that the government don’t care.”

Care is the least we should do for our Bahamian brothers and sisters who went through the horrors of the hurricane.

Practical help is what they really need. Mr Davis has had plenty of time in government now for people to be seeing, touching and feeling the results. How much longer must Dorian’s victims wait?