#Freeport, GB, September 6, 2019 – Bahamas – International supplies for the residents of Grand Bahama who had been devastated by Hurricane Dorian began arriving in today, as Royal Caribbean Cruise Line brought in 10,000 cooked meals and water, along with boat loads of other food items and supplies.
Members
of the international press were on hand for the arrival of the goods at the
Freeport Harbour on Thursday morning.
“This
is a coordinated effort on between Royal Caribbean Cruise Line and NEMA in
Grand Bahama to assist victims of Hurricane Dorian disaster,” said President of
the Senate, the Hon. Katherine Forbes-Smith, who is assisting the Government
and NEMA in their restoration efforts.
“Royal
Caribbean is one of our international partners who has had a working
relationship with The Bahamas for some 40 years. So, they wanted to reach out
and do what they could to assist Grand Bahama during this time.”
According
to Alex De Roeck of Royal Caribbean, the effort is not a one-time affair.
“We
will be delivering these 10,000 meals every day during the duration of this
effort to be of service to the Grand Bahamian people,” said De Roeck, who works
in hotel operations, RCCL Miami. “We will be diverting our cruise ships to this
port every day to ensure that this effort continues.
“What
will be happening is, we will provide the items and deliver them, but local
Emergency officials will decide where they are to be delivered and distributed.
Thursday’s
delivery of food items and supplies was accomplished by the Empress of the
Seas. Because of the possibility of debris in the water, the cruise
ship did not dock at the harbor, but out to sea, where tug boats loaded the
supplies and delivered them to waiting trucks on the dock.
Alex
noted that this kind of humanitarian effort is a part of Royal Caribbean’s
operational profile. Adding that the relationship between Royal Caribbean and
the Bahamas has been a long, established one. “So, we try to reinvest in the
local community and also try to assist that community when things like this
happens.
“Because
we have this long relationship with the islands, we want to do our part to
support them and to get them back on their feet.”
While
Royal Caribbean has most of its ships ported in Nassau, Alex said that the
cruise line will use a different ship each day to make the trip to Grand Bahama
to deliver the 10,000 meals.
He
added that the company is seeking to set up a feeding kitchen on the island,
but said that option was not concrete, as they have to work with NEMA to
discuss the feasibility and location of such a kitchen.
Other
items being donated by Royal Caribbean – in addition to the meals – include
generators, blankets, towels, tissue, cereals, canned goods and other dry
goods.
The
joint effort was one which Minister of State for Grand Bahama, Senator Kwasi
Thompson had made mention of during his live update on ZNS on Wednesday
evening, when he noted that a number of international companies, corporations
and individuals have expressed their interest in doing what they can to assist
Grand Bahama during this time of natural disaster.
“We
have been in contact with many of those people and there is a huge desire by
our international friends to do what they can to help us,” Minister Thompson
said on Wednesday night. “Through NEMA, we are organizing to properly bring in
the aid that is being offered and to ensure that they are properly distributed
to the residents of Grand Bahama.”
Minister
Thompson, along with Deputy Prime Minister, K. Peter Turnquest and other
Parliamentary representatives are all working with NEMA (GB) in the effort to
help restore Grand Bahama following the devastation by Hurricane Dorian on
Monday, September 1, 2019.
Packing
winds of 185 miles per hour Hurricane Dorian pounded Grand Bahama for two days
as its movement slowed down considerably over the island. Many residents lost
their homes due to flooding and high winds.
Once the all clear had been given on Wednesday, September 4, NEMA and the Emergency Center have been busy with the work of restoration of the island.
By Andrew Coakley
Release: BIS
Photo Captions:
Header: Crew Members of Empress of the Seas cruise ship help to unload food items delivered to Grand Bahama as a part of relief efforts following devastation by Hurricane Dorian. In addition to dry goods, water, generators, blankets, etc, RCCL also delivered 10,000 cooked meals for residents of Grand Bahama.
1st Insert: President of the Senate, Kay Forbes-Smith (center, pink blouse), along with Tammy Mitchell from NEMA (left) look over the list of items expected to be delivered to Grand Bahama on behalf of Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, which arrived on the island on Thursday, September 5, 2019 at Freeport Harbour. At left, is a team of volunteers from RCCL, who helped to unload the items.
2nd Insert: Crew members and workers of Freeport Harbour helped to unload water donated to NEMA from RCCL as a part of Hurricane Relief efforts.
BIS Photos/Andrew Coakley