The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Resorts in the southern Bahamas yesterday conceded that Hurricane Melissa had inflicted more damage than originally forecast with one confirming the impact may slightly delay its planned November reopening.

Joel Friese, principal of Long Island’s Stella Maris resort, told Tribune Business that the property had “come off fairly lightly but worse than expected” with damage to roof shingles, windows and doors. However, the resort avoided any structural damage to property and buildings.

Meanwhile, Tribune Business understands that Inagua-based Morton Salt plant, arguably the area’s largest employer, also only suffered minor damage via a downed power line and impacts to one of its roofs as Melissa’s core hurricane winds tracked further north of the island than expected. While the company is hoping to restart operations after minimal repairs once its evacuated employees and their families return, a full assessment has yet to be completed.

Mr Friese, who is off-island, but getting regular reports and images from Long Island, told this newspaper of Melissa: “It was a lot worse than they were expecting. The power is off. They’re expecting to turn it on in the north by [last[ night. I think the south got a little harder hit and there’s probably downed lines. There’s reports of flooding.

“I know of roof damage, building damage in the Stella Maris area, and a lot of debris and trees, and specifically problems with the main road in the Gray’s area which is unpassable from flooding. There was a tremendous amount of rain, and I’d heard the eye went right over Clarence Town.”

Speaking to the impact on the resort, Mr Friese added: “We do have some damage - shingles, screening, paint damage. A window here and there, a door here and there. Basically nothing heavy or structural, but lots of clean-up to come. We came off fairly lightly but worse than expected though.

“I think it will probably take a few days. We’ve heard Cape Santa Maria is the same. It’s a little more than minor, not major, but there’s still a considerable amount of damage that needs to be cleared and repair what is necessary. By the forecast we thought the northern end of the island would be spared a bit more but it did a bit of a turn. There was no salt water flood but it was rain water flooding.”

Mr Friese said the Stella Maris fixed base operator (FBO) had escaped flooding on its runway and aircraft parking apron, but everything surrounding it is covered by water. “A plane just landed there with some relief supplies,” he disclosed, “but I’m not sure what plane and where it came from because the Government has not officially given permission for it to open.

“The parking apron is clear and the runway is clear, but everything else is flooded. The runway was built high enough so that it quickly dries up.” 

Carl Rolle, principal of Rollezz Villas & Beach Resort in Cat Island, told Tribune Business he had been caught by surprise at how strong Melissa was when it passed through the southern Bahamas.

“It was scary during the night. I was like: ‘It’s not supposed to be this severe’, but by morning time everything seemed to be Ok,” he revealed. Mr Rolle said the major impacts from the storm, which passed through at Category One to Two strength were beach erosion and downed trees.

“Melissa did several things,” he confirmed. “There was severe beach erosion and some fallen trees; half a dozen fallen trees on the property. Nothing was done to the premises, for which I am grateful. The electricity was off for about 24 hours, but it’s back on now.

“Things are back to normal right now. I had some people cleaning up the property from the storm. I thank the Lord for it. Whatever the damage was I had to take the positive. I can’t look at it, cry and say I can’t. Any kind of damage, whatever the repairs were, I would be able to do it.” He voiced concern and sympathies for Long Island, and both Jamaica and Cuba, which suffered the worst of Melissa’s devastation.

Richard Ingraham, president of the Bahamas Industrial Manufacturers & Allied Workers Union (BIMAWU), which represents Morton Salt's line staff, told Tribune Business that he had remained in Inagua despite the Government’s evacuation order.

While he had yet to view and assess the plant, he added that the island had largely avoided the kind of heavy rainfall that would dilute and wipe out the salt ponds and set harvesting/production back by potentially months.

Jennifer Brown, the union’s general-secretary, had also remained behind and said the extent of damage on Inagua was largely confined to storm surge that brought rocks and debris on to the main road. Electricity and water services were out, while communications were sporadic.

“We did really good compared to Long Island,” she added. “I have a friend in Long Island. She sent me some photos and her farm looks devastated. I had no fear when they talked about evacuating. I didn’t feel it.”