"Total devastation" - West End, Grand Bahama. Stunned residents of this low-lying community salvaged rain soaked possessions from their flattened homes Monday as a team of government officials worked to develop a plan to find temporary housing for the hundreds they believe have been left homeless by Hurricane Frances. Survivors of the monster storm's 105 mph winds stared in disbelief at boats thrown on to roadsides and the piles of conch shells,seaweed and debris left behind in the streets by a powerful storm surge that destroyed virtually everything in its path.
Hundreds of homes were exposed to the elements their roofs ripped off like cardboard during Frances' rampage over Grand Bahama. Schools remain closed after Frances' In the aftermath of Hurricane Frances all schools in Nassau and the Family Islands are still closed. No firm date had yet been set by the government to re-open them. Earl Smith, senior master at Carlton E. Francis Primary School at Seven Hills in Nassau, reported that shingles flew off the school's roof, tiles dropped from the ceilings of the classrooms and water settled in 12 of the classrooms, including the administrative office.

US Embassy donates supplies to the Bahamas Red Cross The US Embassy, through the Office of US Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), an organisation which provides humanitarian assistance to countries in crises and disasters, donated two plane-loads of supplies to the Bahamas Red Cross Monday. These supplies included plastic sheeting for the construction of temporary shelters or roof repairs; disaster hygiene kits (including soap,toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo) and plastic water containers and water bladder kits, for the storage of clean drinking water. Further support was extended as employees of the Embassy have collectively pledged more than $1,000 in individual contributions to the Red Cross for further initiatives.

Hurricane commanders run for lives in Abaco Occupants of an Abaco clinic used as a command centre to co-ordinate activities during the passage of Hurricane Frances had to run for their lives after a portion of the roof collapsed. Island Administrator Donald Cash said that about six persons were in the Cooper's Town Community Clinic during the time of the incident. Mr. Cash said that as he attempted to run for cover, he was hit in the head by falling debris from the ceiling but fortunately suffered no serious injury.

The Bahamas is back in business Immediately after the sweeping winds of Hurricane Frances left the northern shores of The Bahamas on Sunday, the Ministry of Tourism wasted no time in announcing to the world that all was well and the islands were once again back in business. In a release sent out on the PR Newswire and posted on the official Website of the country bahamas.com, the ministry announced that The Bahamas had fared much better than the predictions. The release also outlined that minimal damages were sustained to the major hotels on Nassau/Paradise Islands.

The Bahamas retains high ratings Confirming its confidence in the viability of the Bahamian economy, an international ratings agency affirmed it's "A-" long-term and it's A-2 short-term sovereign credit rating of The Bahamas immediately following Hurricane Frances. Standard and Poor's Rating Service announced on Friday that it was affirming its short-term credit rating of the country initially issued on December 2003 and even in the face of Hurricane Frances was declaring the future outlook as stable. According to credit analyst, Olga Kalinina, the positive rating took into account the damages, inflicted by Hurricane Frances.

[Source: Bahamas Information Service, 09/08/2004]