Hurricane Frances

Nassau/Paradise Island Tourism Back on Track; Grand Bahama Island Sustains Damage
Wednesday, September 8, 2004 at 5:00 PM EDT
ALERT #6

NASSAU, Bahamas, Sept. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism
officials report that overall tourism facilities in The Islands Of The Bahamas
fared better than anticipated from the recent visit of Hurricane Frances.
With the exception of Grand Bahama Island, most islands in the 700 island
nation sustained minimal property damage. The destination's leading tourist
islands of Nassau/Paradise Island were fully operational within the week of
the storm with major resorts open including Atlantis-Paradise Island, British
Colonial Hilton, Radisson Cable Beach & Golf Resort and Wyndham Nassau Resort
& Crystal Palace Casino. After completing cosmetic repairs, Sandals Royal
Bahamian will re-open on September 25 and SuperClubs Breezes will re-open on
September 30.
Nassau International Airport is fully operational and cruise lines have
returned to normal service into the Port of Nassau.
The Out Islands of Harbour Island, Eleuthera, Spanish Wells, Exuma,
Bimini, Andros and Abaco have reported minimal property damage with most
tourism facilities returning to normal service and accepting reservations.
Grand Bahama Island was significantly affected by Hurricane Frances and
Grand Bahama International Airport remains closed until power is restored. In
Freeport, the Best Western Castaways Resort is fully operational. The
Sheraton at Our Lucaya will re-open on October 1 and The Westin at Our Lucaya
will re-open on November 1. Assessments are still pending for the Royal Oasis
Golf Resort & Casino, Pelican Bay Hotel and Old Bahama Bay Resort.
Interviews with Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace, Director General of the
Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, are available upon request. To schedule an
interview, contact Alice Diaz of Weber Shandwick at 212-445-8264.

"In Grand Bahama we did a sampling of some 500 houses, but based on the projections there, those numbers there dwarf all the islands put together. If we use those projections then we can say (that) some 1,700 buildings (are) unusable in Grand Bahama and some 600 (are) destroyed..."

"A lot of those buildings were substandard construction but still the people are standing there with their belongings on the ground or on the floor slab and houses are upside down. Even the concrete buildings where the tidal wave came through the guts were ripped out, the doors gone, sheet rock gone..."

"Those with solid inside walls may be standing but still the water came up high, followed by the waves. West End in particular where the water came through from the north and then it eased out and then came from the south, they were hit on both sides, that is where a large amount of damage was done there in Eight Mile Rock. Those families are in a poor state."

-- Director of Works Colin Marshall as quoted in the Nassau Guardian

September 8, 2004

Grand Bahama Island was significantly affected by Hurricane Frances and Grand Bahama International Airport remains closed until power is restored. In Freeport, the Best Western Castaways Resort is fully operational. The Sheraton at Our Lucaya will re-open on October 1 and The Westin at Our Lucaya will re-open on November 1. Assessments are still pending for the Royal Oasis Golf Resort & Casino, Pelican Bay Hotel and Old Bahama Bay Resort. [Source: Bahamas government press release]

8 September 2004
Press Release of the Ministry of Finance

The Government of the Bahamas in conjunction with the Royal Bank of Canada has reactivated its Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund. Sen. The Hon. James Smith, the Minister of State for Finance and Mr. Ross McDonald are co-chairs of this initiative.

The fund is to assist with the emergency relief efforts following disasters. The proceeds from the fund would be used for the following purposes:

Emergency relief ** acquisition and delivery of water, food, and emergency supplies **;
Repair and construction efforts ** purchase of building and construction materials for distribution to uninsured private home owners experiencing serious damage to the dwellings **; and

The purchase or rental of equipment not readily available in Government Ministries and Departments but required in the restoration and reconstruction process.

No public infrastructure or capital works would be repaired or reinstated by the resources of the fund.

The general public, private businesses, private trusts or other entities wishing to contribute funds can make deposits at any commercial bank in the Bahamas to the Bahamas Disaster Relief Fund. For entities outside of the Bahamas, the wiring instructions are as follows:

J.P. Morgan Chase, New York
No. 4 Chase Metrotech Centre, 7th Floor
Brooklyn NY 11245
ABA 021000021
For credit Account 001-1-188448
Royal Bank of Canada

http://thebahamasguide.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=613

Discovery Express, 954-463-2202, 1580 SE 26th St., Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale, is collecting water, baby wipes and diapers, bug repellent and clothes for children and the elderly in Freeport, Grand Bahama. Call for hours of operation.

G&G Shipping Co., 954-920-9292, 1100 NE Seventh Ave., Dania Beach, will collect water, dry foods, clothing and diapers. Ships will travel daily to Freeport, Grand Bahama. The American Red Cross, Catholic agencies and local governments will distribute items.

Seafarers' House at Port Everglades, Lutheran Disaster Response, Florida-Bahamas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in American, Ship Supply of Florida and Discovery Express, 954-467-7330, for monetary donations. Designate for Bahamas relief effort.