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VOLUME:116 No.174, SEPTEMBER 4TH, 2019

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ALICIA WALLACE: WE ARE AT MERCY OF THE OCEAN

DECIMATED THE VIEW of Marsh Harbour from the PM’s flight over Abaco yesterday to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Dorian.

• 60% of Marsh Harbour destroyed • Royal Navy arrives with emergency food • Death toll now 7 but ‘expect more’ • Desperate wait to hear if loved ones alive

• Boy’s last words: ‘Grammy, I love you’ • Survivors escape from killing waters • $1m donations lead rush to help • Extra forces sent to keep islands secure

Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper

PAGE 2, Wednesday, September 4, 2019

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PM Minnis warns to

DAMAGE in Abaco as seen from the air during a tour yesterday in images provided to The Tribune.

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Wednesday, September 4, 2019, PAGE 3

expect more deaths By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday cautioned the nation to expect more deaths as officials start assessments of Hurricane Dorian’s wrath, which was described as the greatest national crisis in the country’s history. The number of confirmed deaths in Abaco climbed to seven yesterday as two victims transferred to Nassau died at hospital. Health Minister Dr Duane Sands did not reveal the identity or gender of the two victims; however, he said one was a 71-yearold who died from a head injury, and the other a 39-year-old who had no obvious signs of injury, but had profound metabolic challenges. At a press briefing at NEMA’s headquarters, Dr Minnis said he could not speak to reports of deaths in Grand Bahama until he saw the facts. Dr Minnis said:“Of the 25 individuals that were transported to New Providence, two have already succumbed, that will take the number of deaths to seven. Again, I want to ensure and inform the Bahamian population that we can expect more deaths to be recorded. This is just preliminary information.”

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis pictured setting off on his factfinding expedition to Abaco yesterday. He appealed to the nation for compassion for storm victims and their families, asking people not to send or share images of the dead. Citing the government’s top priority as “search, rescue, and recovery”, Dr Minnis lauded the “bravery

and fortitude” of Bahamians who endured hours and days of horror while the monster storm raged through Abaco and Grand Bahama; as well as the courage of first responders and volunteers who sprang into action with whatever resources they could find.

Assisted by the US government, Dr Minnis and a delegation, including opposition leader Philip Davis and NEMA director Captain Stephen Russell, conducted a fly-over assessment of Abaco yesterday afternoon. Dr Minnis said more than 60 percent of the homes in Marsh Harbour, Abaco suffered extensive damage, adding the shantytown, The Mudd, had been “decimated”. Of Abaco’s devastation, he said the southern part of the island was not as devastated as Marsh Harbour. The national airport is underwater, with its surrounding runway and areas described to be like a lake. Dr Minnis said Treasure Cay airport’s runway was still functional but surrounding roadways were underwater. While Cooper’s Town was not as badly damaged, a community situated outside its boundaries but before Treasure Cay was said to be cut off from the main population. Dr Minnis said about 30 individuals were trapped in the area and waved yellow clothing and bedding to attract attention to their presence as the assessment plane flew overhead. A helicopter was dispatched to rescue them, he said. Aid Speaking about international aid, Dr Minnis said a 600ft Royal Navy vessel would be delivering food to residents in Abaco last night. He underscored an outpouring of support for hurricane victims, and urged people to donate to reputable organisations like NEMA, The Bahamas Red Cross and Salvation Army so that aid could be effectively coordinated. Dr Minnis outlined meetings with the

Photo: BIS

undersecretary general of the UN with respect for humanitarian affairs; the prime minister of Canada today; and meetings with CARICOM officials on Thursday, including the prime ministers of St Lucia and Barbados. Teams of police officers and Defence Force officers have been dispatched to Abaco, and are expected to arrive in Grand Bahama today. Dr Minnis noted the measure was taken to secure Abaco and ensure there was not an increase in violence or looting. Notwithstanding the devastation, Police Commissioner Anthony Ferguson declared the island “pretty safe”. Mr Ferguson said: “You can appreciate that in such a disaster buildings are breached and it is very likely that persons would use the opportunity to enter, but we do not have any information that suggests persons are actually taking over any of those places. Abaco is pretty safe despite the devastation by the hurricane.” Mr Ferguson said it was too early to reveal further details about deaths in Abaco. As of 8pm yesterday, the centre of Hurricane Dorian was 85 miles north of Freeport and had picked up speed moving away from the country northwest at 6mph. After stalling over Grand Bahama for more than 24 hours, Dorian had weakened to a Category 2 storm. However, senior meteorologist Trevor Basden cautioned tropical storm force winds would continue to impact the Northwest Bahamas as the monster storm had grown with winds extending 175 miles from the centre. Surge water levels in

Grand Bahama and Abaco were expected to subside through the evening yesterday. While hurricane warnings have been discontinued, Mr Basden said an all clear for the country would not be issued until today at 5am. Yesterday, Dr Sands praised the efforts of American armed forces and local healthcare providers and first responders. American teams in Abaco rescued 11 people on Monday, and 20 people yesterday. Dr Sands confirmed the first three patients from Grand Bahama were also rescued yesterday. Of healthcare providers, Dr Sands said: “Given the magnitude of the event, it is absolutely amazing they have managed critically ill patients with head injuries, spine injuries, lacerations, broken bones. They have done an absolutely phenomenal job under incredibly challenging circumstances.” Following a local briefing at NEMA’s headquarters, Dr Minnis also detailed the storm’s devastation in two live interviews with MSNBC and CNN last night. He appealed for immediate assistance with safety, security, food and water; and further outlined medium and long term needs to rebuild infrastructure. Dr Minnis told CNN Bahamians were resilient and those on affected islands were not likely to want to leave their homes. “We will rebuild,” Dr Minnis said, “we’ve been down this road before, though not as bad as this. We’ve experienced hurricanes with great degree of destruction. We will rebuild the two islands devastated or destroyed and bring them back in a functional state as soon as possible.”

said 913.4 mb. “Frantically piled into few functioning cars (one of them mine) and relocated to government complex before backside struck. Building filled with terrorised refugees, many who had swam to safety or abandoned collapsed houses. The calm eye saved lives—gave victims chance to relocate. “Whole neighbourhoods were swept by mighty surge higher than anything in memory. Areas above

water had catastrophic wind damage. Many deaths reported from drowning, flying debris, and collapsing houses. Medical clinic overwhelmed. An absolute catastrophe. SEND HELP TO ABACO ISLANDS.” On Monday, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis confirmed five deaths on Abaco. Yesterday, Minister of National Security Marvin Dames said he expects that number to climb as rescue and recovery efforts continue.

‘TOTAL DEVASTATION’ IN ABACO By RIEL MAJOR Tribune Staff Reporter rmajor@tribunemedia.net

RESCUE and aid groups that flew over Abaco yesterday described the island as being in complete ruin. “It’s total devastation,” HeadKnowles founder Lia-Head Rigby told the Associated Press yesterday. “It’s decimated. Apocalyptic. It looks like a bomb went off. It’s not rebuilding something that was there; we have to start again.” Speaking to reporters about the state of the island, Ms Head-Rigby said the situation on Abaco is dire. She said: “We have been in communication with people from Marsh Harbour, Sandy Point, nothing from Treasure (Cay), nothing from Hope Town, nothing from Green Turtle Cay and we got to see all of them. We got to see Green Turtle Cay too it’s…you know people like to say the

word devastating - that’s not the word - this is decimated, this is just gone, this is catastrophic. “We just want to make sure…when we put out the call to help please help. No one is going to be able to stay there and fix up. They’re going to have to move home here to Nassau or to somewhere else and rebuild so this is beyond HeadKnowles, this beyond us. We can come and aid like we are doing but they’re going to have to rebuild. The insurance companies will have to jump in this, you already know it was coming get the cheques ready for the Bahamians please and we are here to help.” HeadKnowles has 30 planes ready to drop off aid and rescue volunteers as soon as they can land on the island. “We have a lot of…I got 30 planes just sitting in St Pete ready. We have all

the medics ready and the doctors are flying in on the caravans today. They’re coming here then they’ll be coming. It’s a huge operation already we have, and we just needed to get here.” Red Cross spokesman Matthew Cochrane told the AP more than 13,000 houses, or about 45 percent of the homes in Grand Bahama and Abaco were believed to have been severely damaged or destroyed. UN officials said more than 60,000 people on the hard-hit islands will need food, and the Red Cross said some 62,000 people will need clean drinking water. “What we are hearing lends credence to the fact that this has been a catastrophic storm and a catastrophic impact,” he said. Lawson Bates, a staffer for Arkansas-based MedicCorps, flew over Abaco

and told AP: “It looks completely flattened. There’s boats way inland that are flipped over. It’s total devastation.” A hurricane chaser caught up in the storm in Abaco last night tweeted out his experiences of the hurricane. Josh Morgerman, a Californian with a TV series, Hurricane Man, on the Science Channel, sent out a tweet saying: “Yep, I’m alive. Made it to Nassau. #Hurricane #DORIAN: By far the most intense cyclone I’ve witnessed in 28 years of chasing. Thought I was playing it safe by riding it out in a solid-concrete school on a hill in Marsh Harbour. Thought wrong.” He added: “Winds pounded the building with the force of a thousand sledgehammers. Crept out during eye to find school mostly destroyed, cars in parking lot thrown around and mutilated. Barometre

PAGE 4, Wednesday, September 4, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

INGRID McIntosh is pictured speaking to The Tribune yesterday following the death of her grandson Lachino McIntosh, who died in Abaco during Hurricane Dorian. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff

Boy’s last words before leaving for Abaco: ‘Grammy, I love you’ By RIEL MAJOR Tribune Staff Reporter rmajor@tribunemedia.net A GRANDMOTHER’S worst nightmare has become a reality for Ingrid McIntosh after she was made aware of her eight-year-old grandson’s reported drowning during Hurricane Dorian in Abaco. In an interview with The Tribune, Ms McIntosh said yesterday Lachino McIntosh was one of the sweetest little boys anyone would ever come across. Ms McIntosh said: “Everyone is taking his death hard because we weren’t expecting this. He just left from here about three days ago to go back to Abaco to get ready for school. It’s really hard on us. “My grandson was here for the summer and when he came from Orlando, he came here to tell me he was leaving to go back to Abaco. I was sitting here and he came and said ‘Grammy, I come to tell you

LACHINO MCINTOSH, who died in Abaco as a result of Hurricane Dorian. bye’. After he told me that he walked away from the table, turned around and said, ‘Grammy I love you’.” Ms McIntosh fought back her tears as she reminisced on her last conversation with her grandson.

“Grammy, I love you’ was his last words to me that day,” she said. “He called me the day before he died and I promised him $20. He said ‘Grammy you promise me $20, I call for my $20.’ I said

little Chino, Grammy will send it to you as soon as I get it.” Several family members were gathered at Ms McIntosh’s Wilson Tract home yesterday and the aura in the room was depressing

as loved ones shared their concern for Lachino’s mother and sister. With limited contact into Abaco, information is scarce. Ms McIntosh said: “People posted on Facebook that my granddaughter had died. The last I heard my granddaughter was injured. My daughter is alone and no one is there to comfort her in this hard time. I need to hear from my child.” A family member who did not want to be named, said relatives haven’t heard from their loved ones after they learned of Lachino’s death. She said: “We really want to hear from my sister and my niece who still are in Abaco. We really would like to hear from them. We can’t imagine what she’s going through right now knowing that it’s only her there. “I’m sure she has no one to comfort and talk to her or have someone to open up to because it’s just her and her daughter. She had

to experience the death of her son and being there alone I can’t imagine what she’s going through.” The family expressed their need for donations to go towards funeral preparations. Ms McIntosh said: “We need donations. We really need it. We don’t have it. We could use assistance for the funeral. People can call 242-323-0476 and ask for Ms McIntosh.” Angry and brutal Hurricane Dorian left only devastation in its wake, snapping utility poles, overturning vehicles and tearing entire communities apart, ultimately disintegrating life for Abaco residents when it churned over the island on Sunday. At its maximum strength, the Category Five monster hurricane - the strongest to ever hit the Northern Bahamas - packed winds of more than 185mph. These powerful gusts were intensified by flash flooding and storm surges.

FISHERMAN TELLS HOW WIFE DROWNED AS HOME FLOODED By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net A CRAB fisherman from East Grand Bahama said he could not save his wife from drowning as a powerful storm surge from Hurricane Dorian flooded their home. Howard Armstrong said he was able to swim out of his flooded home to his boat and make it to safety. CNN reported that once Mr Armstrong was out of the house and went to rescue a neighbour who had been calling for help, he discovered that she had also died. While these deaths have not been confirmed by authorities, officials have said they expect the official death toll from Hurricane Dorian’s vicious strength to rise. Up to press time there were seven confirmed deaths, however these are related to Abaco. “It (the water) came over the roof, I would imagine 21 feet at least,” Mr Armstrong told a CNN reporter in Grand Bahama. “We were doing all right until the water kept coming up and all the appliances were going around the house like a washing machine. That’s probably (when) I got hit

HOWARD Armstrong being interviewed by CNN. with something in there. “And my poor little wife got hypothermia and she was standing on top of the kitchen cabinets until they disintegrated and then I kept with her and she just drowned on me.” Asked how he was able to get out of the home, he said: “I had a big boat anchored in there. I’m a crab fisherman and I had a 40-footer which stayed there. So I had got out of the house after my wife drowned because you couldn’t be in there anymore and I had no tools to chop a hole in the ceiling. So I saw my boat was still there and I took a chance and swam out to it.” As Hurricane Dorian

inched out of Grand Bahama yesterday, harrowing stories poured in of people fighting for survival in ceilings of homes and others who were brought to safety by civilians on Jet Skis, boats and heavy equipment. National Security Minister Marvin Dames said yesterday that the situation has all of the makings of a “crisis of epic proportions.” Mr Dames confirmed that a “few” of the Abaco victims were children. One is eight-year-old Lachino McIntosh, his grandmother Ingrid McIntosh has confirmed. “Unfortunately what we are getting that a few of them (the victims) are

children,” Mr Dames said yesterday outside of Cabinet. “But you know we’re in the beginning of this and this is a very unfortunate occurrence for us as a country, maybe the worst that we would have experienced certainly in our lifetime and I caution Bahamians everywhere that the chances that we find more persons are dead, those chances are real. “It’s certainly a concern for us, this was a crisis of epic proportions. We want to be responsible. We want to be caring as we report these things. We’re taking into account the sensitivity around all of this. I know everyone is probing and trying to get as much information as they can, but we have to take into consideration as well those families who are still in harm’s way and who may have relatives who have suffered as a result of this. “But after having said that, the reality of it all is that unfortunately we will see more deaths. I can’t see any way out of it. “But we want to be responsible and report as they come to our attention. Our officers are moving about certainly in Abaco in areas where they can

because it has let up somewhat but there is still a high level of risk.” In the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, the minister said the focus will be largely on rescue and recovery efforts. He said hundreds of Royal Bahamas Police Force officers and those from the Royal Bahamas Defence Force will be deployed to the affected islands. “We have hundreds of officers on the ground and remember too that as we continue to focus on these islands, we’re not only talking about Abaco and Grand Bahama but we’re also talking about some of the other islands, including New Providence,” Mr Dames said. “We had to execute a rescue just this morning (in New Providence). We had some persons trapped on the southern end of the island and the police and the Defence Force were coordinating and they were able to successfully rescue those persons and bring them to safety. “So in addition to the rescue mission we have to also ensure that we protect our islands against those persons who will use this

crisis as an opportunity to break the law. “I send a warning out to those persons in particular whether it’s New Providence or Grand Bahama or Abaco or any of the cays, that we will seek you out and we will deal with you accordingly. . .” Hurricane Dorian has also displaced and affected thousands of people, Social Services Minister Frankie Campbell said, pegging the number at around 73,000 people or 21,000 households. Teams from the Department of Social Services are now in the process of preparing packages for those affected, he said. “They are already packing bags and parcels and non-perishable items and blankets, etc,” he said. “The things that we know people will need. “And so we continue to wait for the all-clear. That is the only time that we are going to be able to land either with vessels or air craft, but I can give assurance to persons who are affected, who are desperately waiting for assistance that we too are desperately waiting for the first opportunity to assist them.”

THE TRIBUNE

By TANEKA THOMPSON Tribune News Editor tmthompson@ tribunemedia.net DRAMATIC video was posted to social media showing local photographer Tim Aylen and his family abandoning their home in Arden Forest, Grand Bahama, yesterday, evacuating in raging chest high water to get to safety. In the video, Mr Aylen’s 21-year-old daughter Julia is seen fighting through the rushing storm surge with two of the family’s dogs, one under each arm, and a knapsack on her back. His 17-year-old son Matthew was crouched on the roof of one of their cars, before the group was able to get to safer ground. Mr Aylen told The Tribune that he, his wife

Wednesday, September 4, 2019, PAGE 5

Christine, and their children planned to ride out the storm at home because he was not expecting the area to flood so drastically. But early yesterday morning he was awakened to a foot of water seeping into his garage and made the quick decision to escape the home. “We were in our house. . .and it was just surreal,” he told The Tribune from Grand Bahama yesterday. “We just saw the water on the road, just as you will with normal rainwater, flooding, obviously with wind so it was different. But we really didn’t think we were in any flood danger, and we thought Arden Forest was high ground. We certainly didn’t want to take up room in a shelter nearby at Church of Ascension

unnecessarily so we stayed home, as other residents in Arden Forest did. “We were all just sitting around at about 4 o’clock or 4.15(am) I think. I was asleep and my wife and kids were up and about. My son goes to my wife and says ‘there’s some water coming in the garage, under the garage door.’ They looked out the windows and saw it come up higher to the cars. So my wife came to get me in the bedroom and by that time when we walked back, it poured into the house about a foot high in the space of about 15 seconds. “I said, ‘where did this water come from’ and she said ‘it wasn’t here a second ago.’ So we all looked out the front and it was up to the level of the windows of

the car, the two cars we’ve got out front. “We tried to make an evacuation plan and gathered our go bags that we had ready and the dogs and then we thought about going in the attic. I actually took a ladder and went up and looked at it and said ‘no, that’s a death trap’. . .I had no way to cut out of an attic.” Mr Aylen added: “The look on my kids’ faces was just sheer panic. Then we thought about getting on the roof because at this time the water was on the edge of the window.” He said they also tried to get out the front door but the water surged in. Mr Aylen said he jumped out of a window and spotted dry land in the distance.

“I rushed back and said we are going to dry land.” He said he took bags with important documents and then his family left the home with their dogs. A nearby family spotted them and helped them to safety. “This amazing family greeted us,” Mr Aylen said. “These two boys swam out and asked what they could do. I said make sure my wife’s okay and we all ran ashore. I think it must have been their parents (who) piled us all into a minivan, just incredible to do that, a family with dogs and all the bags we had. And they took us to a shelter and that’s where we went to Church of Ascension shelter.” The family is among scores of Grand Bahamians who were lucky to escape flooding homes as

Hurricane Dorian beat down on the island. Minister of Agriculture Michael Pintard, who posted videos to social media on Monday showing more than 20ft of water outside his home, was rescued, according to Minister of State for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson. Six workers from the Humane Society of Grand Bahama who were trapped in the shelter for hours in neck high water have been rescued, according to a post on the group’s Facebook page. It was unclear up to press time what happened to the reported 300 animals who were at the shelter.

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Wednesday, September 4, 2019, PAGE 5

WADING TO SAFETY THROUGH THE FLOOD

JULIA Aylen wades through waist deep water carrying her pet dog as she is rescued from her flooded home during Hurricane Dorian in Freeport, Bahamas, yesterday.

Photos: Tim Aylen/AP

By TANEKA THOMPSON Tribune News Editor tmthompson@tribunemedia.net DRAMATIC video was posted to social media showing local photographer Tim Aylen and his family abandoning their home in Arden Forest, Grand Bahama, yesterday, evacuating in raging chest high water to get to safety. In the video, Mr Aylen’s 21-year-old daughter Julia is seen fighting through the rushing storm surge with two of the family’s dogs, one under each arm, and a knapsack on her back. His 17-year-old son Matthew was crouched on the roof of one of their cars, before the group was able to get to safer ground. Mr Aylen told The Tribune that he, his wife Christine, and their children planned to ride out the storm at home because he was not expecting the area to flood so drastically. But early yesterday morning he was awakened to a foot of water seeping into his garage and made the quick decision to escape the home. “We were in our house... and it was just surreal,” he told The Tribune from Grand Bahama yesterday. “We just saw the water on the road, just as you will with normal rainwater, flooding, obviously with wind so it was different. But we really didn’t think we were in any flood danger, and we thought Arden Forest was high ground. We certainly didn’t want to take up room in a shelter nearby at Church of Ascension unnecessarily so we stayed home, as other residents in Arden Forest did. “We were all just sitting around at about 4 o’clock or 4.15(am) I think. I was asleep and my wife and kids were up and about. My son goes to my wife and says ‘there’s some water coming in the garage, under the garage door.’ They looked out the windows and saw it come up higher to the cars. So my wife came to get me in the bedroom and by that time when we walked back, it poured into the house about a foot high in the space of about 15 seconds. “I said, ‘where did this water come from’ and she said ‘it wasn’t here a second ago.’ So we all looked out the front and it was up to the level of the windows of

MATTHEW Aylen wades through waist deep water as he is rescued from his flooded home during Hurricane Dorian in Freeport, Bahamas, yesterday. the car, the two cars we’ve got out front. “We tried to make an evacuation plan and gathered our go bags that we had ready and the dogs and then we thought about going in the attic. I actually took a ladder and went up and looked at it and said ‘no, that’s a death trap’. . .I had no way to cut out of an attic.” Mr Aylen added: “The look on my kids’ faces was just sheer panic. Then we thought about getting on the roof because at this time the water was on the edge of the window.” He said they also tried to get out the front door but the water surged in. Mr Aylen said he jumped out of a window and spotted dry land in the distance. “I rushed back and said we are going to dry land.” He said he took bags with important documents and then his family left the home with their dogs. A nearby family spotted them and helped them to safety. “This amazing family greeted us,” Mr Aylen said. “These two boys swam out

and asked what they could do. I said make sure my wife’s okay and we all ran ashore. I think it must have been their parents (who) piled us all into a minivan, just incredible to do that, a family with dogs and all the bags we had. And they took us to a shelter and that’s where we went to Church of Ascension shelter.” The family is among scores of Grand Bahamians who were lucky to escape flooding homes as Hurricane Dorian beat down on the island. Minister of Agriculture Michael Pintard, who posted videos to social media on Monday showing more than 20ft of water outside his home, was rescued, according to Minister of State for Grand Bahama Kwasi Thompson. Six workers from the Humane Society of Grand Bahama who were trapped in the shelter for hours in neck high water have been rescued, according to a post on the group’s Facebook page. It was unclear up to press time what happened to the reported 300 animals who were at the shelter.

JULIA Aylen pictured as she carried her pet dog through water as she escaped her flooded home.

PAGE 6, Wednesday, September 4, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

SOME of the damage in Abaco in this image taken from the air and provided to The Tribune.

Boy feared lost rescued as he sat in tree waiting By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net A LITTLE boy feared lost in the devastation wrought by Hurricane Dorian in Abaco was found sitting on a tree, according to an update from his father. A post from Mack Altidor on Facebook said his son Brenden Dion Altidor was found by an unnamed man who then took the boy to the government complex on the island. According to Mr Altidor, Brenden was placed on a tree by his stepfather, Kailan “Kay” McIntosh, and told to stay there while he ran off to save someone else.

However, Mr McIntosh never made it back to Brenden, and as the flood waters started to rise, the little boy stayed put as he was told. Mr McIntosh’s whereabouts remain unknown, according to Mr Altidor, who has since made a post on Facebook about the man’s missing status. Brenden’s mother, Esperanta Austral, was rendered unconscious after being hit by a block, according to one of Mr Altidor’s posts. He said she has since made it to a shelter, and is nursing “a few bruises”. The Tribune managed to make contact with Mr Altidor via Facebook, however, he indicated that any

interview with this newspaper would have to come after he had successfully located Mr McIntosh. Mr Altidor’s son was one of hundreds of people feared missing — or worse — in Abaco following the passage of the monster Category 5 storm. An unofficial list, posted by Facebook page Beauty By Bekuh around 11pm on Sunday, contains the names of at least 342 people, inclusive of men, women, children, and the elderly, whose whereabouts are unknown. Five people have been confirmed dead on Abaco, including a seven-year-old boy, Lachino McIntosh. Yesterday, Minister of

TEXAN siblings Bryan and Heather Lee were evacuated from Abaco into New Providence on Tuesday.

National Security Marvin Dames said he feared that number would rise as rescue efforts continue. One man, McKethan Nottage, hadn’t been heard from since 10am on Sunday. Mr Nottage lived in the Regatta Condo in Marsh Harbour. However, his sister, Mitesha Nottage posted on Tuesday that she has received word that Mr Nottage is safe, and that he has been assisting other people. However, she said he hasn’t made contact with her. Allister Delon Cargill, a young man who was sent to Abaco on assignment by Cable Bahamas but somehow got separated from his team, hadn’t been

heard from in 24 hours as of Monday. However, his cousin Makiya Cargill confirmed on her Facebook page that he has since been located. Robyn Darville was desperately searching for her father, Robert Darville, and boyfriend, Justin Knowles. The last thing she had heard from the former was that “a big hole” had opened up in his roof and that the “ceiling was caving in”. Meanwhile, the only thing she had heard from her boyfriend was a request: “Baby pray for me.” Ms Darville has since located and made contact with Mr Knowles, and although she hasn’t personally heard from her

father, she saw that he was marked as safe on a list making the rounds on social media. “(I don’t know) how accurate it is but all I could do is hope for the best,” Ms Knowles said in a post. Hurricane Dorian, the strongest hurricane to make landfall in the Bahamas, battered Abaco with 180 mph winds. It then moved on to neighbouring Grand Bahama, where it hovered for nearly two days and caused extensive damage. It weakened to a Category 2 hurricane yesterday, with maximum sustained winds of 110mph, and was slowly moving out of The Bahamas.

By AVA TURNQUEST Tribune Chief Reporter aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

water until we could get to the hospital,” Mr Lee, 45, said. “There was no trees, not a leaf on anything. When we opened the shutter doors, there was a car about two feet from coming into our house, a whole car that had been picked up and put there.” The Lees and Mr Hernandez were staying at a condominium complex called The Crossings in Marsh Harbour. They made their way to the hospital where they reportedly found hundreds seeking shelter. According to officials, nearly 400 people have sought shelter at the medical facility. Also making the trip was a US-based reporter, who declined comment, and two injured “islanders”. The injured persons were loaded onto ambulances shortly after touching down at Odyssey Airport. “We just waved our

passports and were like please help,” said Ms Lee, 49, speaking about their evacuation. “At the hospital we showed them our passports and they let us on first.” She said the storm left her “terrified”, adding: “I have never been that scared. The looting was terrible, I didn’t see any fighting but tons of looting. The trees don’t even have any leaves on them, it’s destruction.” “Worst experience of my entire life,” Mr Lee of Sealy, Texas, added. “We live inland but this is like breathing right on the coast. We’ve been out of power for three days living in a house with our friend, the roofs blew off. We were in a concrete room everything around us gone. “A concrete wall shaking, loud deafening,” Mr Lee continued. “It was terrible, I’ve been through a lot of crap most worst experience of my life.”

‘THERE’S NOTHING LEFT’ SAY SAVED US SIBLINGS

AFTER spending just over two days in a concrete room with no roof as Hurricane Dorian raged through Abaco, a group of storm-weathered American tourists told The Tribune “there’s nothing left”. Texan siblings Bryan and Heather Lee, and their friend Joe Hernandez, were rescued by the US Coast Guard shortly before 5pm on Tuesday. Moments after landing in Nassau, they claimed looting had begun as there was limited food or water on the island. While they could not personally confirm reports, they told The Tribune they heard stories of injuries and extreme flooding in the Mudd shantytown. “There is no electricity, so for two days we sat in a house with two inches of

AERIAL damage in Abaco as seen in this image provided to The Tribune.

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Wednesday, September 4, 2019, PAGE 7

$1m each from Disney and Royal Caribbean to help By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net THE Bahamas’ relief and recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian have received a $2m injection courtesy of a leading cruise line and a worldwide family-entertainment juggernaut. The Walt Disney Company and Royal Caribbean International (RCL), each pledged $1 million towards ongoing disaster relief for Bahamians adversely affected by the monster storm’s passage. The Walt Disney Company, in a statement, said its $1m donation will be made in cash. It will also include the provision of supplies

such as food staples and basic construction materials to those in affected areas. Additionally, the worldwide entertainment conglomerate said its employees with immediate needs in affected areas of The Bahamas will have access to “a range of resources”. It noted that Disney Castaway Cay, which experienced tropical force strength winds, employs more than 60 Bahamians from Abaco and Grand Bahama, as well as several employees from other Bahamian islands. “The Bahamas is such a special place to us and our guests, and we have watched the devastation created by Hurricane Dorian with

concern and heartache,” Jeff Vahle, president of Disney Cruise Line, said. “We stand with the Bahamian people, and especially those in Abaco and Grand Bahama, as they recover from the worst storm to ever make landfall in The Bahamas. “As the needs in these communities are assessed, we are prepared to aid the relief and recovery efforts through funding, the provision of supplies and by providing support to our Bahamian crew members.” Meanwhile, RCL said besides its own $1m donation, the ITM Group, its partners in the joint venture has plans to develop the Grand Lucayan Resort in Grand Bahama, is also donating an extra $100,000.

HURRICANE DORIAN RELIEF EFFORTS A NUMBER of organisations and groups are already organising donations and fundraising efforts to help those affected by Hurricane Dorian. • NEMA Bahamas has released contact numbers for donations for those affected by Hurricane Dorian. The telephone numbers are 3235394/341-0127, or email nemadonations@ bahamas.gov.bs. You can also find NEMA on Twitter @nemabahamas or on Facebook at Nema242. • The Bahamas Red Cross is seeking donations of non-perishable goods, baby supplies, cleaning items and bedding. Monetary donations can be deposited at A/C #289-426-6 RBC (Royal Bank of Canada, John F Kennedy Drive). • Launched with the support of a host of groups across The Bahamas, a Facebook page has been set up to help coordinate donations and support. The address is https://www.facebook.com/hurricanedorianrelief242. You can also find out more at https://www.hurricanedorianrelief242.com. • The New Providence Community Church in partnership with HeadKnowles, Ports International, the Family Medicine Center, Bahamas Rotary Clubs and Rev, is asking the public to drop off non-perishable items that will be shipped to the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama. They are accepting water, tuna, sardines, mackerel, corned beef and other canned goods, as well as toiletries, sanitary products, pampers, premixed formula, flashlights, batteries, tarps, nails, hammers, chainsaws and gas jugs. Donations can be brought to NPCC Blake Road and JFK drive, open daily from 7.30am-9pm. Contact 327-1660 for more information. • Tropix Shipping in Fort Lauderdale and Nassau will be open to receiving relief from today. The address is Tropix Abaco, 5610 NW 12th Avenue, Suite 203, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309. • Anglican Young Adults are asking for

donations of clothing. Items should be in new or mint (good) condition and separated accordingly. Tops, bottoms, shoes, towels, hygiene items and underwear for all ages/sizes will be accepted. Also welcomed are items such as nonperishable food, personal hygiene items, infant and children supplies and household products. For more information on drop-offs, contact 359-3143. Volunteers are also needed for sorting and packaging. Items may be dropped off at the Anglican Church of the Epiphany, Prince Charles Drive, today, daily to Saturday, between 8am and 6pm. Volunteers are also needed for separating and packaging. For details or to volunteer, call Glen Ritchie, priest warden, on 376-8245, or Carl Brennen, people’s warden, on 462-3088. • The Miami Dade Community Emergency Operations Center is accepting donations at 5120 NW 24th Avenue, Miami, Florida, from 10am-6pm. Donations requested are toiletries, diapers, first aid items, cleaning supplies, canned goods, box fans, leather work gloves, hand sanitizer, non-perishable food, water, wipes (cleaning and baby), tents, generators. No clothes, please. Contact 786-877-7826/786-269-8070/305-343-7971. • HeadKnowles has launched a GoFundMe for emergency funds, which has already raised more than $32,000. The group is also asking for generators, tarps, chainsaws, portable stoves, butane cannisters, air mattreses, liquid baby formula, diapers, wet wipes, toiletries including female sanitary products, mosquito repellent, water filtration devices, and matches. The fundraiser link is: www.gofundme. com/f/headknowles-emergency-funds • Lend A Hand Bahamas has launched a fundraiser to provide needed materials not normally donated outright as well as direct monetary support to those impacted. The link is: https://lendahandbahamas. networkforgood.com/projects/80136-bahamas-hurricane-relief-fund.

The cruise line said it is also loading “all kinds of goods” onto its ships, such as generators, water, cleaning supplies, clean sheets, towels, and more for “direct delivery to The Bahamas”. And, to make sure its donations “go where they can do the most good”, RCL said it is collaborating with The Bahamas’ government; its non-profit partner, the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF); and a network of Bahamian charities and organisations, including the Bahamas Feeding Network. RCL said its donation also includes matching every dollar of guest and employee donations to PADF “so they can help our friends as well”. Additionally, RCL said trained employee volunteers called the “GO Team” are on their way to The Bahamas to assist with local disaster relief efforts. The cruise line also said it is taking “special care” of coworkers and their families who were affected by the storm. “The Bahamas has always been more than a destination for Royal Caribbean and our guests,” RCL said. “For more than half a century, we’ve made many friends and many memories. The Bahamas is also home to more than 500 of our colleagues who work at Perfect Day at CocoCay and the Grand Bahama Shipyard. “So in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, the Bahamian people are in our thoughts and prayers. And we’re rolling up our sleeves to help our friends, and inviting our guests to help.” A local company, AML Foods Limited, also pledged its support to its colleagues and the communities of Grand Bahama and Abaco. Renea Bastian, AML’s VP of

VOLUNTEERS flocked to the New Providence Community Church to assist along with HeadKnowles for their combined Hurricane Dorian Relief Initiative. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff marketing and communications, said in a statement that the company will make an announcement “very soon” on its donation pledge. For now, she said the company is working “diligently” to account for all of its 275 associates on Grand Bahama island. Ms Bastian said once AML receives the all-clear from the relevant authorities, it will complete “a full assessment of all of our locations in Freeport so that we can immediately begin servicing the community, and getting aid and supplies into the island”. She said AML has already started implementing recovery operations to assist its colleagues and customers, “who have suffered such

DAMAGE in Freeport from Hurricane Dorian.

major loss and damage over the past two days”. AML’s statement said the company has also reached out to its international vendors to determine what, if any assistance or aid they can provide. “Our thoughts and prayers are with our fellow Bahamians who have been impacted by this devastating storm,” Ms Bastian said. “The days, weeks and months ahead will be difficult, but as a company, we are pledging our support to our colleagues and the communities of Grand Bahama and Abaco. “…We are a family and we will rebuild, we will recover and we will be stronger than ever.”

Photo: Lyndah Wells Photography

20 EVACUATED TO PRINCESS MARGARET HOSPITAL By KHRISNA RUSSELL Deputy Chief Reporter krussell@tribunemedia.net

MORE than 20 people were evacuated from Abaco and brought to Princess Margaret Hospital in New Providence with wide ranging injuries following Hurricane Dorian’s passage. While Health Minister Dr Duane Sands initially placed the number at 21, the Public Hospitals Authority said 24 adults and children have been received by PMH. He also gave an update on the Rand Memorial Hospital in Grand Bahama, which was compromised by flooding and is not presently able to provide medical services. Dr Sands said some of the Abaco evacuees have “very serious injuries, some requiring emergency neurosurgery, brain surgery.” He added: “We have had lacerations (and) partial amputations. We have had a number of broken bones and so a number of people have been injured. “The most critically ill patients have already been evacuated and we owe an incredible debt of gratitude to the people and the government of the Unite States of America.” PMH activated its virtual ward to receive the evacuees, as part of its mass casualty and natural disaster plan, PHA said in a press statement yesterday. “As of 2pm Tuesday, 24 persons were received by the Emergency Department from Abaco,” the

FLOODING at the Rand Memorial Hospital. Friday and so now their situstatement read. “Eleven persons includ- ation although not an injury ing three children have is urgent if not critical. “So those individuals been admitted to hospital. The others have been now have to be brought treated and discharged into New Providence in or are awaiting discharge order to be dialyzed. We from the Emergency expect that as people are able to navigate the roads Department.” The virtual ward is a and get in to more remote mechanism for providing locations that we will disaccess to care for patients, cover other injured persons PHA said, adding it is com- and heaven forbid perhaps prised of the systems and other casualties.” Meanwhile, officials are staffing of a hospital ward, in the absence of a dedi- still waiting to get a clear picture of what the situation cated hospital ward space. Dr Sands said there are is like at RMH in Grand Bahama. still people needing help. “So the Rand Memo“Bear in mind that we have persons in Abaco who rial Hospital is unusable are dialysis patients who as a medical facility at this have not been able to be dia- point,” Dr Sands said. “I lyzed. They would not have am pleased to say that been dialyzed since about as of this morning I’ve

communicated - we have just over 300 people, patients (and) about 33 medical staff and also persons who would have come into the Rand seeking shelter. “However the Rand has been flooded so at this point it is unable to provide medical services.” The situation at RMH deteriorated as Hurricane Dorian hovered over Grand Bahama for about two days. A Reddit user wrote several updates regarding her sister that was holed up at the facility. According to the post, the hospital’s power went out on Monday, the building was leaking and became surrounded by water. “Outside is flooded. She says they have nowhere to put them and they moved the babies to a dry spot. If anyone can get word out. . .please help. “Her final message was ‘I don’t want to die.’ I cannot cope right now.” Later the Reddit user said the relative was able to communicate. “Finally got through to my sister. She said they called the rescue lines and there is nowhere to put them. I am still going to keep calling the new number 359-4807. I’m just happy she is okay. She said the weather is getting worse and worse. “The hospital is surrounded by. . .water and is getting flooded. They are trapped inside. I believe some people got evacuated - old people in wheelchairs.

I think the newborns are still with the doctors. The vehicles are stalling and they have to rescue people on Jet Skis,” the Reddit user said. Asked who was providing medical service in Grand Bahama, Dr Sands suggested there was no alternative. “Bear in mind that we are in the midst of an actual storm and until such time as that storm passes people

are not going to be able to get to a facility or get out of the facility without putting the lives of those individuals in danger. “So at this point in time we are still in the middle of a hurricane. “Unfortunately Dorian has stalled just north of Grand Bahama and this is creating a significant challenge because of rain, storm surge and winds,” Dr Sands said.

PAGE 8, Wednesday, September 4, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

PLP leader Philip ‘Brave’ Davis joined Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis for yesterday’s flight over Abaco to assess the impact of Hurricane Dorian.

Photo: BIS

Davis: Provide debt relief for victims of hurricane By LEANDRA ROLLE

OPPOSITION Leader Philip “Brave” Davis has appealed to those in the commercial sector to provide a minimum of 60 days debt relief to storm victims following the passage of Hurricane Dorian. He added this should include temporary relief from mortgage payments, rent, electricity and telephone bills. At a press conference yesterday, Mr Davis said the Progressive Liberal Party has already mobilised to provide disaster relief to Abaco and Grand Bahama, adding party members will set out today at “first light” to visit affected islands once the “all-clear” has been given. “I am shocked by the savage destruction that has been wrought by Hurricane Dorian,” Mr Davis said at a press conference yesterday. “I am saddened by the loss of life. The PLP pledges to ensure that our efforts to support the general relief efforts and monitor the national efforts to ensure the protection of the public interest.” Mr Davis added that while the PLP will assist where it can, it is the government’s responsibility to ensure and provide leadership in this recovery. According to Mr Davis, Englerston MP Glenys Hanna-Martin and Senator Dr Michael Darville will co-chair the PLP’s disaster relief committee. He continued: “We’ll do our part as best we can. Whatever donations we have to (give) within our resources, we will assist, but we are here to ensure that we support the government in their effort to

CARS sit submerged in water from Hurricane Dorian in Freeport yesterday. restore and to ensure that He also appealed to and hygiene kits can do so the restoration is being all PLP branches to pro- at the centre. done in a way that nor- vide a special collection When asked about the malcy will return as quickly this month for hurricane need for mandatory evacuas possible.” relief. ation laws, Mr Davis said In speaking on the disloDuring the press brief- he hopes the country cation of persons in Abaco ing, he also noted that can enact legislation that and Grand Bahama, Mr a collection depot has can allow for mandatory Davis further called on the already been established evacuations. government to “consider at the PLP’s headquar“We drafted the legislaincentivising the use of ters on Farrington Road, tion following Hurricane rooms in private homes in adding that those who Matthew, but we didn’t Abaco, Grand Bahama and wish to drop off dry goods, have the opportunity New Providence.” non-perishable food items to complete the process

because there was a challenge or there was an issue that arose by legal advice that it may be unconstitutional,” he said. “Hopefully, that has been cleared up and now we can move to enact laws that can cause mandatory evacuation.” The Minnis administration also pledged to enact mandatory evacuation laws in 2017, however the idea

Photo: Ramon Espinosa/AP was never followed through. At a press conference on Sunday, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis defended his administration’s stalled pace on the promised legislation, telling reporters that no one could have anticipated monster storm Hurricane Dorian. He said when Parliament resumes, it will be a priority for the Minnis administration.

BPL SAYS SORRY AS LENGTHY WAIT FOR POWER AHEAD By NICO SCAVELLA Tribune Staff Reporter nscavella@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Power & Light has apologised for what could potentially be a protracted period of no power for three sections of New Providence. BPL, in a statement, said three circuits in New Providence have a “major fault”, meaning the entire power line will have to be inspected. Those areas are off until its teams can “patrol those lines, locate and correct the fault and then re-energise those lines,” BPL said. The areas affected are Prince Charles west — Gleniston Gardens, Sandilands Village, and the “western portion” of New Providence; Wulff Road up to Mt Royal Avenue; and South West Bay Road,

South Ocean, Albany, NPD Well Fields; Coral Lakes, Coral Heights east and west, and Coral Harbour. Additionally, BPL said due to the location of the power lines, both Seabreeze and South Beach have had “extended outages”. BPL said the lines are “difficult to access”, which has been exacerbated by storm conditions. And in addition to those areas, BPL said there are “dozens” of outages that are related to “clashing power lines” and other issues due to the heavy wind and rain associated with Hurricane Dorian. The utility provider said ever since Monday’s island-wide power outage, its crews worked “through morning and most of the day” and were finally able to restore power to the

“vast majority” of customers in New Providence. According to a previous press release, BPL had managed to restore power to some 80 per cent of its residential customers. However, the company said overnight, the situation “deteriorated once again”. “After a tough couple of days, (BPL) wishes to assure our customers that we feel their frustration,” the statement said. “We apologise for the instability of the power supply in New Providence. We continue to work to return all customers to service, and to keep them supplied. “While New Providence did not suffer a direct blow from Hurricane Dorian, heavy storm-related wind and rain driven by the ‘feeder bands’ have presented challenges for our recovery efforts.”

A CASKET floated out of a grave at Old Trail Cemetery yesterday amid the flooding affecting New Providence.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, September 4, 2019, PAGE 9

Even if we persevere we remain at the mercy of the ocean and elements that control it THE range of emotions most of us have experienced over the past few days was, before now, unimaginable. We are going through an agonising period. People are searching for information about loved ones while dealing with their own compromised homes. We eventually realised that Hurricane Dorian would wreak havoc, but we were not prepared for a slow-moving beast. We were not prepared to lose contact with the Abacos and Grand Bahama. We were not prepared to be filled with worry and dread. There is no way to ignore what is happening or stop ourselves from feeling. What we can do is contribute to relief efforts underway and try to take care of ourselves as we do so. Hurricane Dorian has put our lives on pause and turned our emotions on to the highest setting. We move between emotions in a matter of seconds, especially if we seat ourselves in front of the constant onslaught of news and updates, verified and otherwise. It is difficult to look away from the screen when every update is important, expands our understanding and feels like it can get us closer to the end. The constant loop of hurricane news is harmful to our mental health, whether we realise it or not. Though we want to be aware of what is happening and help as much as possible, we need to remember we are not machines. Take breaks from the news and social media throughout the day. If necessary, set alarms to remind yourself to have meals, take a break, stretch, or do something you enjoy. Make a list of people you can call when you need to talk. If you need the support of a counsellor, call the Bahamas Crisis Centre hotline - 328-0922. You can also look into The Family - People Helping People to get information on the group counselling session closest to you. If you are struggling with anxiety, PTSD, or panic, practice grounding techniques. Sit with your feet flat on the floor and breathe deeply, inhaling for five seconds and exhaling for five seconds. Repeat this until your heart rate gets closer to normal. Then use your senses to ground yourself, identifying things you can see, feel, smell, touch, and taste. Care for yourself as you would someone else who has experienced trauma. More information will become available about mental health professionals who will offer free services.

IN IT TOGETHER

We are often in competition. We are caught up in

THE EYE of Hurricane Dorian as seen from the International Space Station on Monday. easy to find ways to be on opposite sides, especially in the world of politics. We still, however, have the capacity to recognize and acknowledge one another’s humanity and put it at the center of our minds and actions. It should not take this kind of devastation to get us to this place, but it the race to the top. What- information and putting in certainly shows that we are ever we are doing, we want the work. In the midst of capable of better. to be the best at it. Only sadness and worry, this has one person can win. Only been a bright spot. one organisation can get the glory. Only one group can outshine all others. People will eventually Knowing this, we tend to Many of us have received be brought to Nassau from look for ways to distinguish more phone calls, emails the Abacos and Grand ourselves. Sometimes we strategise, and messages than we can Bahama. When they are leveraging our specialised count from people inquir- placed in temporary accomskills, looking for the small ing about our safety. I have modations, they will need from nonwins. We are proud of what seen people from all over everything we do and we want to be the world searching for perishable food to school recognised. There is noth- information about their supplies for children. If ing quite like having your Bahamian family mem- you have hurricane supname in lights. Then the bers, friends from college, plies you did not use, please unexpected occurs, a mam- coworkers and friends of donate them. There is a moth tasks presents itself, friends. I have received need for cleaning supplies, and the options are to go messages from AirBnB tarps and tools. People alone and get the glory or hosts, people I met once at going in to clean up will fail, or go together, sharing conferences, good friends need gloves, rubber boots, the weight of the task and I have not seen in years. chainsaws and other equiphaving the satisfaction of a Many of them have offered ment. There are numerous assistance, from contrib- drop-off locations including job well done. This time around, in the uting to crowdfunding New Providence Commuface of what Hurricane campaigns and sending nity Centre on Blake Road Dorian has done to us, items to sharing critical and National Art Gallery of Bahamians - organisations, information to offering a The Bahamas (NAGB) on groups, and individu- range of services. West and West Hill Streets. We are living in a time of als - have decided to come Monetary donations can together. We are pooling heavy debate, deepening be made to Lend a Hand resources, accepting help, of difference and inten- Bahamas for the care giving our time, sharing tional othering; it has been and support of women

By Alicia Wallace

CARE FROM AFAR

PREPARING TO HELP

Photo: Nick Hague/NASA and children relocated to Nassau. The NAGB is also opening its doors to people in need of care, and invites psychologists, specialized therapists, and other mental health professionals to get in touch with the curator to organise programming to support people as they cope with what is happening.

TIME FOR CLIMATE ACTION

Even as we work to repair, rebuild and reconcile with a new immediate reality, we need to think long-term. Climate change has gone from a threat to a present challenge that we are experiencing in the worst way. People in the northern islands watched as the sea level rose. We have seen the intensification of hurricanes over the past few years for ourselves. Unfortunately, we have not addressed it the way it demands. We say we will rebuild, but that is not enough. We have been rebuilding - and stalling on rebuilding - for years. Foreign aid wanes, government interests shift and the work is left half done. Just take a look at Ragged Island. Even if we persevere and make it to the finish line, rebuilding better than ever, we remain at risk as a nation of small islands, at

the mercy of the ocean and elements that control it. The Bahamas, as it stands, will not be here forever. While we do not need doom and gloom in this moment, it is critical we talk about climate change while people are paying attention and can make the connection between what seems like an abstract concept and the frailty of our lives here. Our days are numbered. We need to encourage our representatives to push for alternate sources of energy and international advocacy for countries to change practices that negatively impact vulnerable countries like ours. We need to lead with our own efforts such as the plastic ban, use of solar energy, development of efficient public transportation, and significant focus on food security and protection of marine resources. These are not issues for environmentalists alone to push. We need economists, engineers, artists, scientists, sociologists, teachers, and lawyers to work together, bringing their expertise, ideas and enthusiasm. We do not need to become climate refugees for this to happen. Hurricane Dorian can be a pivot point and a catalyst for climate action. We have to save ourselves.

PAGE 10, Wednesday, September 4, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

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Amid the horror there remains hope THE waiting seems to be the hardest. We sit - sometimes in the dark, sometimes without any connection on our phones - and wait to hear news from the islands affected by Hurricane Dorian. As we wait, our heart aches to hear stories such as that of grandmother Ingrid McIntosh, whose eight-year-old grandson, Lachino, is reported to have drowned in Abaco during the storm. His last words to her before he left for Abaco after the summer holidays was “Grammy I love you”. Amid so many in need, the McIntosh family are also asking for help for Lachino’s funeral. Amid the rush to help so many affected by the storm, we hope Bahamians will find it in their hearts to help the McIntosh family in a moment no family should face, saying farewell to a beloved child. Our heart aches too for crab fisherman Howard Armstrong, who told CNN how he and his wife were trapped in their home in East Grand Bahama and he could not save her from drowning. The government has not yet confirmed deaths in Grand Bahama. A total of seven have now been confirmed in Abaco - including two who were brought to New Providence for treatment but died of their injuries. There is of course much speculation - but we must do that one thing that seems so hard - wait. So many emergency responders are working their hardest to help those in need, and verify reports of people who have died. We hope that some reports are mistaken and that families will be reunited with loved ones they feared lost. Indeed, we need look no further than some of the stories shared in today’s Tribune for reason to hope.

There are remarkable images from photographer Tim Aylen as he and his family fled their home in Arden Forest, Grand Bahama, and waded through chest-high water to safety. The image of Mr Aylen’s daughter, Julia, pushing through the water holding two of the family’s dogs, one under each arm, inspires belief that others too escaped to safety. There is also the report of a little boy being found sitting in a tree by a rescuer - an unnamed man who is surely a hero for his action - and taken to the government complex in Abaco. The boy, Brenden Dion Altidor, was feared lost by his family - but was saved by his stepfather, Kailan “Kay” McIntosh, who told him to stay in the tree while he tried to rescue someone else. Mr McIntosh is still missing, but as we wait, we hope. A brother and sister from Texas told how they were rescued by the US Coast Guard after being trapped in a concrete room with no roof in Abaco. These are the stories of hope, and these are the stories we must cling to. There may well be darker days ahead. Last night, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis cautioned that “we can expect more deaths”. But for now, for today, we can do two things - first, we can start to support the fundraising and donation drives to help those affected by the storm, either by direct donations, offering helping hands or simply spreading the word. Relief workers face a big task, let’s help make that task easier. And secondly, we can hope - as every story of survival gives us reason to keep on hoping.

Mandatory evacuations EDITOR, The Tribune. MANDATORY Evacuations – in perspective Mandatory evacuations are a bad idea. Here’s why. Firstly, I think it is a direct move toward a police state; it invites authoritarian tendencies. Secondly, let’s put this into perspective. Hurricanes are traumatic. They evoke statements in reactionary ways. Hurricanes both bring people together, yet severely traumatise those closest to ground zero. Perspective: how many people die each year due

to bullet wounds, alcoholism, obesity, Sugar, high blood pressure, car accidents in The Bahamas. All preventable; All. We know that you, Dr Minnis, would like to be able to save all these lives; many thousands yearly. But, most of us would prefer to live free, on our own, without you dictating our lives. You could make us stop eating sugar, Kentucky, McDonald’s, Wendy’s. You could ban alcohol in The Bahamas. You could ban guns. You could make sure

people drove responsibly, God forbid. You could ban gambling and save countless families, and children’s futures with the stroke of a pen. Making us abide by all of your well-intentioned dictates would save thousands more lives than the few we lose in each hurricane. No, Dr Minnis, The Bahamas is not ready for a king. If I wish to stay put in my home, that is my choice, not yours. PORCUPINE Nassau, September 2, 2019.

Grand Bahamian bracing for storm EDITOR, The Tribune. IT’S SUNDAY morning and conditions are rapidly deteriorating on Grand Bahama, due to Hurricane Dorian, which is now packing winds upwards of 180 mph, with wind gusts exceeding 220 mph. We have been through Hurricanes Francis, Jeanne and Matthew – within a span of 12 years. But nothing this massive, in terms of wind strength. It always seems to be Grand Bahama that is in the path of these monsters. I have already done what is humanly possible to secure my property and my family. I am now hoping and praying that God will at the very least protect the citizens of Grand Bahama and Abaco and minimise the destruction these storms normally cause, seeing that He, in His sovereign will, has allowed the storm to bypass much of Caribbean for Grand Bahama – an island that has been lying flat on its face economically since Francis and Jeanne. This storm is expected to further erode what’s left of the economy. I am depressed

and discouraged about this approaching natural disaster. Grand Bahamians have prayed for God to alter the course of the storm. But obviously He has denied our request. We evangelicals don’t subscribe to the concept of Mother Nature; we believe in the Father of nature, who is God Almighty. The complete devastation to the island and having to do without basic amenities such as electricity and running water are some of things that bothers me. That and seeing my fellow Grand Bahamians wander around aimlessly with dazed expressions have taken a toll on me mentally in the past, after Matthew, Francis and Jeanne. Only God can deliver Grand Bahama and Abaco. Whatever He is saying to Grand Bahamians, we must stop and listen. KEVIN EVANS Freeport, Grand Bahama, September 1, 2019.

Hurricane Dorian and climate change EDITOR, The Tribune. AS OF 11 pm. ET 2 September, 2019 Hurricane Dorian was a category 4 Storm battering the Bahamas. At least five people were killed in Abaco when it hit the Bahamas as a category 5 hurricane with windspeed of 185 mph on 1 September, 2019 in the afternoon. It is heart breaking. It’s an historic tragedy that needs analysis and assistance. A total of 35 tropical cyclones have reached Category 5 in the Atlantic Ocean north of the equator, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Only in 1932, 1933, 1961, 2005, 2007 and 2017 more than one Category 5 hurricane formed. In 4 of those 6 years a member of Caricom was hit by a Category 5 hurricane. Only in 2005 have more than two category

LETTERS letters@tribunemedia.net 5 hurricanes formed and only in 2007 and 2017 did more than one make landfall at Category 5 strength. The years 2016 to 2019 is the longest sequence of consecutive years which all had at least one Category 5 hurricane. Hurricanes are powered by heat from the warm ocean and with global warming more Category 5 hurricanes are inevitable. The scientific data demonstrates that the members of Caricom are disproportionately hit by Category 5 hurricanes. The developed countries like the United States and Europe are less affected and have the economic might to be less hindered by a Category 5

hurricane. My asset ration is developed countries have far less motives to address global warming and its effect on the climate. Expecting them to address it is like asking the wealthy to address homicides which rarely affects them. We in the Bahamas and the Caribbean must start to address it by, for instance, using alternative sources of energy such as wind and solar. It will benefit us and put the developed world on notice that the Caribbean is a “small- giant” that will look after our own interests instead of being dependent. This is the 3rd Category 5 hurricane to devastate the Bahamas –1932, 1933 and 2019. BRIAN E PLUMMER Nassau, September 3, 2019.

Local psychiatrists need to get involved in drug fight EDITOR, The Tribune. WELL known psychiatrists must become vocal in drug war. We have heard from the average Joe Blow, the clergyman, the politician, the Rasta man, the ordinary Bahamian. However when will we hear from the psychiatrists who deal with people strung out on drugs on a daily basis? Why haven’t Doctors Hospital dealt with the drugs prevention series. They have dealt with Suicide: cause, effects and prevention and other issues but why not cocaine, marijuana addiction etc, cause and effect on Bahamian society, etc? The average, sensible member of Simeon Hall’s church should discontinue attendance at his Church because he seems to have no problem with level headed Bahamians using drugs. If you have a problem what can he tell you? Take one spliff and make a whiff. Foolishness! Has he gone out of his mind? Rev Simeon Hall should find out one Sunday that

the collection is one cent for talking such nonsense. Or that the congregation is one member – a drug addict. I totally agree with Pastor Cedric Moss that we should let drug rehab doctors join the ganja debate. These doctors are the psychiatrists who work at Sandilands Rehab Centre (see also Tribune Article May 15, 2019 by Pastor Cedric Moss). These professionals have a birdseye view with ganja addicted psychotic patients many of whom are our youth, our tomorrow’s leaders. I too would like the Bahamas National Commission on Marijuana to invite the Practitioners to a town Meeting and allow them to add their two cents to the Marijuana debate. As told by one of our leading pastor’s, Cedric Moss. See also July 15 2019’s issue of The Nassau Guardian captioned ``Let’s be honest about Marijuana.” We desperately need to hear from Dr Timothy Barrett, Dr David Allen, Dr Sandra Dean Patterson and /or Aids Health Education

Officer Emile Lesbott who noted in one of his lectures that sometimes people put lizard’s tail in drug users weed which causes them to trip out. Dr Nelson Clarke can also add his two cents. I wonder who suggested to former MP Phenton Neymour that he must use marijuana for suppressed appetite; there are numerous over the counter medications besides using marijuana. Columnist for the local dailies The Nassau Guardian Dr Lorraine Barnaby (Psychiatry Today) Would have dealt with the matter in her column long ages ago; And I am sure although she is Jamaican by birth she would have an added clarity to the issue. I am sure Simeon Hall’s view on marijuana usage must have had an adverse impact on the membership at his church. Also the way people see him now. Let’s wake up! L L BASTIAN Nassau, August 21, 2019.

THE TRIBUNE

Wednesday, September 4, 2019, PAGE 11

Scotiabank: Is might, right?

THE Canadian-owned Bank of Nova Scotia, or Scotiabank, has more than $1 trillion in assets; the Gross Domestic Product of the small island state, Antigua and Barbuda, is just $1.5 billion. Yet, there is what the Canadian newspaper the Globe and Mail described on August 26, as a “standoff” between Scotiabank and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda over the bank’s desire to sell its holdings in Antigua without consulting, or in any other way involving, the Government in the sale to Republic Financial Holdings (RFH), headquartered in Trinidad and Tobago. Scotiabank’s decision not to discuss the sale of its holdings in nine Caribbean jurisdictions with the governments concerned - in advance of concluding an agreement - was extraordinary, particularly as, in Canada, no bank or bank branch can carry on business without obtaining the approval of the finance minister and the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions. The bank appears to believe it could contravene in the Caribbean what it would be obliged to obey in Canada. Apart from ignoring the law in Antigua and Barbuda, and elsewhere, to first obtain the agreement of the governments for a sale in order to secure a “vesting order”, Scotiabank’s decision demonstrated a lack of good corporate judgment. It could not have been difficult to engage governments about plans to sell before concluding a sale agreement with RFH. Unless it assumed its clout would hammer acceptance of the sale. Equally disdainful behaviour by Scotiabank was the way in which it informed the nine Caribbean jurisdictions that it had settled the sale arrangement. That information came through a public announcement, issued to the media on November 27 last year. Governments of the nine jurisdictions and their Central Banks, the regulatory bodies for banking, learned of the sale arrangement simultaneously with the general public. Why would a Canadian financial institution that has been present and money-spinning in the Caribbean since 1889 and which reported a profit of CAN$1.98 billion a year ago, treat the Caribbean region so disparagingly? Is this another demonstration of the persistent contemptuous behaviour that small countries confront in the international arena – the doctrine of ‘might is right’? On its website, which was designed to attract business from the region, Scotiabank still declares that: “Over the past century, Scotiabank

World View

By SIR RONALD SANDERS has developed the most extensive representation of any bank in the region, with approximately 370 branches in 23 countries. Scotiabank is proud to be your “Banker to the Caribbean”. Now, it seems, Scotiabank is not so proud to be “Banker to the Caribbean” despite over a hundred years of repatriating profits to Canada gained from the labours of its Caribbean customers. In the same announcement through which it informed the public, including governments and regulatory bodies, that it was selling its holdings, it also made the remarkable and revealing statement, clearly targeted at its shareholders, that: “These transactions are not financially material to Scotiabank”. Indeed, it said, “Scotiabank’s common equity tier one capital ratio will increase by approximately 10 basis points on closing”. So, it appears to say, all will be well with Scotiabank’s shareholding and that’s all that matters. However, Caribbean governments are also entitled to make decisions that fulfil their duty of care to their people who also matter. Every country in the Caribbean, without exception, is faced with a major threat to its banking sector and to its participation in the global financing and trading systems subsequent to the withdrawal of the correspondent banking relations (CBRs) by many global banks. The greatest value of Scotiabank to the region is that it supplied its own CBRs because of the relationship between its headquarters in Canada and its Caribbean branches. When Scotiabank departs the nine jurisdictions, it will effectively deprive them of that crucial CBR. That is why, Caribbean governments, including the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, have made the point, repeatedly, that they are not

pushing Scotiabank out of the region and would prefer that it remains. In the case of Antigua and Barbuda, the Government has made it clear that building resilience in its banking sector is vital to the maintenance of CBRs. Therefore, it prefers Scotiabank to sell its Antigua holdings to a local bank or banks in order to strengthen their attractiveness for the provision of CBRs. In other words, the objective is to make the rewards to global banks of providing CBRs to a larger indigenous entity worth the risk of doing so. This would give the Antigua and Barbuda banking sector greater strength and durability. Scotiabank’s sale of its Antigua holdings to RFH

would not achieve that RFH, it will re-examine all objective, nor would it fill options, “including the clothe hole that the departure sure of our operations in of Scotiabank would leave Antigua and Barbuda”. for CBRs, since RFH, like The Bank’s haughty posiall other tion – our ‘The Bank’s haughty way, or no indigenous Caribbean position – our way, way – elicbanks,encounited from ters the same or no way – elicited Prime Minfrom Prime Minister ister Gaston obstacles to securing Gaston Browne Browne the CBRs. response, Despite all the response, that that his govthis, instead his government ernment of talking “considers it highly “considers it with the highly irreAntigua and irresponsible” sponsible” Barbuda that Scotiathat Scotiabank government “could so casually bank “could about selling so casually the Antigua threaten to close threaten holdings to the bank” without to close local banks, acknowledging the bank” Scotiabank without is insistent, its fiduciary acknowledgas it told the responsibilities ing its Globe and fiduciary to depositors and Mail, that responsibilities it remains employees and to deposi“bound by committing to tors and the terms of employees this agree- fulfil them.’ and commitment”. ting to fulfil Remarkably, Scotiabank them. In the circumstances has stated that if it is unable he pledged “to insist on the to consummate the sale to most scrupulous attention

to the interests of employees and depositors” should Scotiabank “decide to close rather than to sell to Antiguans and Barbudans from whose transactions the Bank made its considerable profits”. Small states face many struggles to achieve justice in the international community; the struggles are sometimes political, but they are mostly economic. Being realistic about the restrictions of their size does not include denying rights because they are small. David is once more called upon to confront Goliath. • Responses and previous commentaries: www. sirronaldsanders.com The writer is Ambassador of Antigua and Barbuda to the United States and the Organisation of American States. He is also a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies at the University of London and at Massey College in the University of Toronto. The views expressed are entirely his own

PAGE 12, Wednesday, September 4, 2019

THE TRIBUNE

ANTI-BREXIT demonstrators gather and march at Parliament Square, in London, yesterday.

Photo: Alberto Pezzali/AP

Brexit battle for Boris as he loses crucial vote LONDON Associated Press ON A day of humiliating setbacks, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson suffered a major defeat in Parliament on Tuesday night as rebellious lawmakers voted to seize control of the Brexit agenda, prompting the embattled prime minister to say he would call for a new general election. The 328 to 301 vote, made possible by fellow Conservatives who turned their back on Johnson’s pleas, cleared the way for his opponents to introduce a bill Wednesday that would seek to prevent Britain from leaving the European Union without a deal October 31. It was a momentous day in Britain’s centuries-old Parliament as the legislature rose up to successfully challenge the power of the prime minister and his government over vital Brexit policy. Even if they can force Johnson to seek a delay to that deadline, any extension would have to be approved by each of the other 27 EU nations. The cross-party rebels are determined to prevent a “no-deal” Brexit because of fears it would gravely damage the economy and plunge Britain

BRITAIN’s Prime Minister Boris of Commons yesterday. into a prolonged recession while also leading to possible medicine and food shortages. The vote came hours after Johnson suffered a key defection from his party, costing him his working majority in Parliament. On a day of high drama and acerbic debate in the House of Commons, lawmakers returned from their summer recess to confront Johnson over his insistence that the UK leave the European Union on October 31, even without a withdrawal agreement to cushion the economic blow. Many shouted, “Resign!” and protesters gathered outside Parliament to call for Britain to remain in the EU.

Johnson speaking in the House A new general election would take Britain’s future directly to the people for a third general election in four years. It is not clear Johnson would immediately get the two-thirds majority in Parliament needed to call a fresh vote because opponents are wary he might postpone the election date until after Brexit has taken place. “I don’t want an election but if MPs vote tomorrow to stop the negotiations and to compel another pointless delay of Brexit, potentially for years, then that will be the only way to resolve this,” Johnson said minutes after he lost the vote in Parliament. Earlier Tuesday, two other prominent

Conservatives signaled their intention not to seek re-election rather than bend to Johnson’s will. Former Cabinet minister Justine Greening and former Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt also signaled their intention to stand down. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, lambasted the weakened Johnson and accused him of “riding roughshod” over the constitution in order to crash Britain out of the EU without a deal. He said he will not agree to a new election until legislation preventing a “no-deal” exit is in place. “He isn’t winning friends in Europe. He’s losing friends at home. His is a government with no mandate, no morals and, as of today, no majority,” Corbyn said. Johnson, who became prime minister in July, has tried to crack down on members of his Conservative Party who oppose his Brexit plans, warning they would be expelled from the party if they supported parliamentary efforts to block or delay the withdrawal. Dominic Grieve, who was attorney general in David Cameron’s government, says the expulsion threats demonstrate Johnson’s “ruthlessness.” Greening said she feared her beloved party was “morphing into

Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party.” Former Treasury chief Philip Hammond warned of the “fight of a lifetime” if officials tried to prevent him from running in the next election. All three oppose Johnson, with Hammond saying he expected a procedural motion to take control of business. If it passed, a vote to block a no-deal would be considered Wednesday. Time to block a “no-deal” departure is running short. Johnson last week maneuvered to give his political opponents even less time to block a chaotic no-deal Brexit, getting Queen Elizabeth II’s approval to suspend Parliament. His outraged critics sued, and attorneys arguing the case at a court in Scotland completed submissions Tuesday. The judge could rule as soon as Wednesday. A no-deal Brexit will sever decades of seamless trade with Europe’s single market of 500 million people. Economists warn of disruptions in commerce, and the U.N. trade agency UNCTAD estimated Tuesday a no-deal Brexit will result in U.K. export losses of at least $16 billion. Leaked government documents predicted disruptions to the supply of medicine, decreased availability of fresh food and even potential fresh water shortages

because of disruption to supplies of water treatment chemicals. Johnson insists the potential for leaving without a deal must remain as a bargaining chip in negotiations with the EU. Though the EU is Britain’s biggest trading partner, a no-deal Brexit would also hurt Europe — a fact not lost on Brussels. Johnson’s supporters said lawmakers were weakening the government’s negotiating position with the EU. “The one thing that has helped focus minds in the EU is that we’re leaving come what may and we’ve got a very focused task of what a good deal would look like,” Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told ITV. “But the lingering doubt they’ve got is: Will the shenanigans in Parliament somehow lead to the cancellation or the delay of Brexit? “That’s encouraging them, and weakening our position to actually get the deal we all want.” The bloc insists it won’t renegotiate the agreement struck with former Prime Minister Theresa May, which Johnson considers unacceptable. Only 58 days from exit, the EU said it had received no proposals from the British government aimed at overcoming the impasse.