NASSAU, BAHAMAS — East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson yesterday expressed concern for the needs of individuals in the Grand Bahama and Abaco communities that are still struggling to recover after Hurricane Dorian.
He made an appeal to this administration not to discontinue the Special Economic Recovery Zones Order which expires in December.
“I’ve been getting calls and social media, text messages, even being stopped on the street to send a clear message to the government to extend the SERZ Order for building materials, appliances, furniture, and supplies. The SERZ Order comes to an end in December of this year. In Grand Bahama and Abaco we are clearly still in recovery mode,” Thompson said.
The House Speaker granted Thompson permission to read two notes sent from constituents in Grand Bahama and Abaco who gave details of how they would be impacted if the order was discontinued.
The first letter was written by an Abaconian who pointed out that there were some people still camping in their homes, having not been able to acquire the items needed to refurbish their living space. The sender added that discontinuing the order would be unacceptable on may levels.
The message painted a picture of the scene on the ground, which was described as looking apocalyptical and some houses being in ‘utter ruin.’
“What is going to happen to those properties?” the note read, “The owners cant afford the high cost of knocking them down but then the rest of us have to live with the daily reminder and some places also look like a warzone, granted there has been a lot of improvement but its far from complete.” one letter stated.
The constituent, added that the homes in some areas may look fine to those driving by, however many of them are gutted on the inside, and if nothing is done, many would never be whole again.
In the second letter, a woman from Turtle Reef, Bevans Town in Grand Bahama explained that her 16-year-old family home was rendered unlivable due to the impact of Hurricane Dorian in 2019.
“[…] I then lost my job due to the pandemic […] until recently we haven’t been unable to take advantage of the SERZ concessions because of the lack of income.”
Thompson added that the sender said she was in the middle of building a new home in Freeport and worried that her family would not be able to afford the additional supplies and fixtures needed to complete the structure.
“We are desperate to finish our home and get out of paying both rent and a mortgage at the same time, being in such a dire situation can hardly be considered economic recovered.
“[…]I am hopeful that our government will consider extending the SERZ Order, even if only for extenuating circumstances to Bahamians in Abaco and in Grand Bahama,” she said.
After reading the two notes, Thompson urged the PLP administration, which has planned for the discontinuation of the SERZ Order on December 1, 2022, to reconsider the decision for the sake of those in desperate need on the islands that were most greatly impacted by Hurricane Dorian.
“I implore the government to listen to the voice of the people, listen to the people in Grand Bahama, listen to the people in Abaco. Take VAT off of food, take VAT off of medicine, and continue to extend the SERZ Order for the people in Grand Bahama and the people in Abaco.”
In response to Thompson’s request, Minister of State for Disaster Preparedness, Management, and Reconstruction, Myles LaRoda said that the government will take the suggestions into consideration.
“I personally visited the devastation that has happened in Grand Bahama and yes, no government has the capacity to do all. On this side we will do as much as we can for as many as we can and hopefully, that will suffice.
“And measures that he [Thompson] would have raised, I am not too big to take that to Cabinet to consider,” LaRoda said.
