#TheBahamas – March 12, 2020 — The Bahamas Disaster Reconstruction Authority is leading ambitious housing and home repair programs in Abaco and Grand Bahama designed to assist residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Dorian.
The
Authority is providing temporary residential domes in Spring City, Abaco; additional
domes to disaster zone residents who want one on their property; the
development of 55 lots in Central Pines for single- and multi-family use, along
with two further 60-acre tracts; the Small Home Repair Programme for various
levels of home restoration; and, its partnerships with NGOs through which the
NGOs provide materials and technical assistance while the Authority pays for
labour.
“Providing
housing and assisting with home repairs are major points of focus for the Authority,”
said Katherine Forbes-Smith, Managing Director of the Bahamas Disaster
Reconstruction Authority on Sunday, March 8 at a two-hour press event hosted by
the Authority at Harry C. Moore Library, University of The Bahamas, marking the
six-month period since Hurricane Dorian hit Abaco and Grand Bahama.
Domes
Thirty-two
domes in Spring City are complete and have been turned over to the Authority.
The
Authority is awaiting final utility connections that should be done this week.
After
conferring with the Department of Social Services the domes will be turned over
to residents of Spring City.
The
criteria to occupy the domes are: a person’s home should have been destroyed by
the storm; and, priority will be given to the elderly, physically and mentally
challenged, single mothers and families with infants and small children.
“We are
also in the process of constructing domes on the private properties of those
who meet the criteria, four of which are being installed in Little Abaco,” said
Mrs. Forbes-Smith.
“We
encourage others with destroyed homes to apply to the Authority for temporary
housing assistance.”
Lots/Residential Tracts
The
Authority is also working on immediately developing 55 lots in Central Pines
for single- and multi-family use.
“We are
in the process of having properties from the Ministry of the Environment and
Housing transferred to the Authority,” said Mrs. Forbes-Smith.
“It is
hoped these units provide much-needed rentals and housing for people already on
the island, and those seeking to return.”
Additionally,
the Authority is working on the development of two, 60-acre tracts – one in
Marsh Harbour and the other in Wilson City. The Surveyor General has confirmed
the preliminary survey is complete.
The
final plans and topography are being properly documented so the information can
be included in an RFP scheduled for issue by the middle of April.
“It is
hoped work would begin on this initiative in the third quarter of this year,”
said Mrs. Forbes-Smith.
“It is
envisioned that the developments will showcase innovative housing solutions
that are sustainable, eco-friendly, energy efficient and meet with our goal of
building back better.
“Local
and international developers will be invited to provide solutions for the
60-acre tracts.”
Home Repairs
The
Authority launched its Small Home Repair Programme on February 10.
Residents
whose homes were assessed with minimal damage are eligible for $2,500 in
purchase orders; those with medium damage are eligible for $5,000 in purchase
orders; those with major damage are eligible for $7,500 in purchase orders; and
those whose homes were destroyed are eligible for $10,000 in purchase orders.
Purchase order recipients are able to use them for home
improvement materials, labour or a combination of both.
There is an online registration for the programme. In-person,
sign-up locations have also been established in Grand Bahama, Abaco and New
Providence.
To
qualify a person needs to be Bahamian; to own the property in question; there
must be proof of residence at August 31, 2019; the property would need to have
been uninsured; and the property has to be in Grand Bahama or Abaco.
Materials purchased with purchase orders would have to be from
approved vendors in The Bahamas.
Since the launch of the Small Home Repair Programme web
portal, 3,137 people set up user profiles.
Of those 3,137 profiles, 2,069 homeowners have completed the
full registration for assistance.
Of the 2,069 homeowners registered: 804 need structural
assessments; 471 need to upload documents; 404 approved have met all the
criteria and structural assessments.
The Authority is still waiting on 89 percent of homeowners
to bring in their quotes so purchase orders could be issued.
The Authority has also partnered with various NGOs in
Dorian-impacted communities to assist with home repairs.
Through the partnerships the Government pays for home repair
labour and the NGOs provide supplies and various types of logistical and
technical assistance.
A working model of this partnership is with Church by the Sea in
Little Abaco. Church by the Sea is
located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
It is assisting with home repairs across the Little Abaco
communities.
Magnetic Media is a Telly Award winning multi-media company specializing in creating compelling and socially uplifting TV and Radio broadcast programming as a means for advertising and public relations exposure for its clients.
The Bahamas’ economy is in good standing according to reports from the Bahamas National Statistical Institute which released the Quarterly Gross Domestic Product Series. They indicate that quarterly GDP trends for 2023 saw increases compared to 2022, a sign of recovery from the Covid 19 pandemic.
The most significant increase was 9.9 percent in the first quarter of 2023, and the industries responsible for the growth include Accommodations and food, construction and Arts.
RBC Royal Bank (Bahamas) Limited (“RBC”) is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Kerryl-Lyn King-Henry as Country Manager and Area Vice President (“AVP”), Personal and Commercial Banking, Turks & Caicos Islands (TCI).
In her new role as Country Manager and AVP, King-Henry will take on full responsibility for the bank’s operations, strategy, and development in the TCI market, with a strong focus on solidifying partnerships with the Government, regulatory bodies, and the local community.
King-Henry brings to the role a dynamism influenced by nearly 25 years of industry experience. Prior to her new appointment, she served as AVP of Business Banking in Trinidad and Tobago. She has held progressively senior roles within both personal and commercial banking, as well as various functional units.
King-Henry holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree, with a specialization in Leadership, FinTech and Big Data Analysis, in addition to a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. Further enriching her professional profile, Kerryl-Lyn is a certified John C. Maxwell Coach, Trainer, Teacher, and Speaker. Her passion for leadership and development is matched by her commitment to community service, as she actively volunteers her time and leverages her professional expertise to mentor and support others. “
Kerryl-Lyn’s extensive experience and proven leadership capabilities make her the perfect choice to lead our operations in the Turks & Caicos Islands,” said Ericka Rolle, RBC’s Managing Director and Vice President, Personal Banking, The Bahamas and TCI.
“Her commitment to excellence, combined with a genuine passion for community engagement, aligns perfectly with our Bank’s purpose of helping clients thrive and communities prosper. We are excited to see the positive impact she will undoubtedly bring to her new role,” she added.
After resounding success in the Bahamas, hit play ‘March On, The Story of Us’ has been inundated with requests to take their show on the road, and the first location they’ll be hitting is Providenciales Turks and Caicos with tickets on sale this weekend from May 3 to 5.
Magnetic Media spoke to Gea Pierre, playwright, who told us the TCI was a natural first choice for the cast and crew.
“We started ‘March On’ in November 2023 and it was really an opportunity for us to tell a story, the story of the Bahamas and to encompass the nations that we have an amazing relationship with like the Turks and Caicos,” she continued “We really got a lot of people calling [for the play] from [the TCI], so much so we really had to pay attention.”
The response to ‘March On’ at home and abroad was overwhelming.
“To say it went well is an understatement, even before we opened we got calls from Canada, from all over the US with people wanting us to come and perform.”
And take the show on the road they did! Gea and her team have launched “March On: The Tour” and will be in Providenciales to perform on May 10th and 11th. It’s the first of a number of stops which include Nassau and several US locations.
A ticket booth will be set up from today, Friday May 3 in the foyer of IGA grocery store beginning at 1 p.m. Friday and then again all day on Saturday, allowing residents to purchase with cash.
Online tickets are available for purchase with credit cards. Then the full team returns on Friday, May 11 for the actual showing at 8 pm and their two showings on Saturday at 4pm and 8 pm. The venue is Brayton Hall, Providenciales under the patronage of Washington Misick, TCI Premier and First Lady DelthiaMisick.
Describing the close familial relationships between the TCI and the Bahamas, for many on the crew it will be like coming home Gea told us, for others it will be a treat to visit for the first time, the places that their grandparents described.
Tickets are only $60 for general seating and $75 for VIP seating.
Gea maintained that the team wanted to keep the show as accessible to residents as possible.
As for why you should come out and see the play, other than the great price point:
“The way that people have responded to it is non stoplaughter, people have been moved to tears because there’s some emotion. It does not only lend to Bahamians. It’s a family drama, and anyone who’s ever been a part of a family is going to get something out of it, and something moving.”