Bahamian evacuees face eviction from Florida hotel

Bahamian evacuees face eviction from Florida hotel
The Inn Town Suites in Rivera Beach

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – More than two months after Hurricane Dorian ripped through the northwest Bahamas, 150 Bahamian evacuees are facing eviction from a South Florida hotel.

The families have been staying in 30 rooms at the Inn Town Suites in Rivera Beach.

“Catholic Charities are assisting with new accommodations,” Consul General in Miami Linda Mackey said yesterday.

“They have provisions for up to three more months.

“It’s been a challenge the past nine weeks with funding for accommodations.”

She also noted Baker’s Bay has ended their assistance with Bahamian evacuees staying at the Hilton Palm Beach Airport as of October 31.

Dorian, the strongest storm to hit the northwest Bahamas, left thousands displaced, hundreds missing and at least 67 dead.

Following the storm, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) processed more than 4,000 evacuees from The Bahamas – the majority of whom were American citizens, according to a CBP official.

Mackey has said the consul is aware of over 300 Dorian evacuees living in limbo in the United States since the passage of the deadly Category 5 storm and noted that that number continues to grow daily.

More than two months later, Grand Bahama and Abaco remain in recovery mode without electricity and potable water in severely impacted areas.

While school-aged children have been allowed in public schools in the cities, the evacuees are not allowed to work as they only hold U.S. visitors’ visas.

Those Bahamians have been advised not to seek employment, which could jeopardize their visa status.

Vice President of the Palm Beach County Clergy Alliance (PBCCA), Dr. Linda Collymore told ABC 25 WPBF News last week that her team is working with a property owner to secure 10 to 15 apartments in the area for the displaced Bahamians.

 

Operation Kingdom International Inc. launched the Compassion Bahamas initiative to help aid Bahamian evacuees displaced by Hurricane Dorian.

 

Collymore said: “We have an estimated budget of about $18,000 a month that will be able to house these families and keep them over the course of seven months.”

Operation Kingdom International Inc., another Florida-based organization led by Collymore, has also set up an initiative called ‘Compassion Bahamas’ calling for donations and volunteers to help Bahamian evacuees.

According to the website, phase two of the organization’s assistance would include the building of container houses for those displaced residents.

Sample container home displayed on Operation Kingdom Internationals website for their Compassion Bahamas relief efforts

About Sloan Smith

Sloan Smith is a senior digital reporter at Eyewitness News, covering a diverse range of beats, from politics and crime to environment and human interest. In 2018, Sloan received a nomination for the “Leslie Higgs Feature Writer of The Year Award” from The Bahamas Press Club for her work with Eyewitness News.

10 comments

Before you post, know the fact that for years other countries were and still is sucking up the US. If you want them to leave, then help. Otherwise shut the f–up. Their here TEMPORARILY not permanent like the other leeches.

It so funny to know that how some people think,I bet if you check your back ground your not really American yourself.
Don’t feed anyone something that you won’t feed yourself.

In response to the comment stop sucking from America, one of the reasons your government is so kind to the Bahamians is that , we The Bahamians spent billions fueling the South Floridas economy, it is to their benefit to assist us. Secondly we are your nearest neighbors to the east, our islands have American Military Bases. I excuse your comment because of your lack of knowledge, please go and read your South Florida history and understand the important role Bahamian fathers leaving their families to come and assist when your men went to War……and the list continues……KNOW THYSELF, THEN COMMENT!!!!

My heart breacks for all who encountered this terrible storm I wish I could go help support anything to help these people i’m so tired of rude selfish and heartless comments these people are human beings with friends family that lived in a beautiful God given place God don’t like uglycoming from a person who has no idea what these people have gone through and still are it’s so easy for some to say such heartless things if it was you your friends your family it would be a different story remember this any thing can happen to anyone at any time or place I hope this never happens to you and people end up being just as heartless as you in your comments and I think and pray for all of them every day and I know none of them personally but I wish I did in this world it just depends on where your heart and sole lies mine mine is in good vibes thoughts and prayers for all that was affected it’s so sad to me and the heartless comment i’m praying for you may God wrap his arm around them all……

Just returned from Grand Bahamas Island freeport, and there is nowhere the damage that the media plays up. Cant speak for abacos islands, but freeport looked pretty good with. Very little damage. Wish I could post the pictures as proof.

I’m soooooo sorry that our fellow human being have to read such comments like the ones I’m reading.May the good LORD almigty have mercy,it is true to see where their hearts really is,sooooo far from GOD,GOD help us.I just want to let u know that our prayers go out to ALL our fellow friends.Again, I’m soooo sorry & please forgive them because they don’t know what they are saying.

Jasmine you said it right. Many of us Bahamians only go there to shop, spending our asue money and vacation money,. So he needssss to get it right Bey.

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