NASSAU, The Bahamas- The Governments of The Bahamas and the United States signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a grant of $500,000 that will be used for hurricane recovery and reconstruction in The Bahamas.
The hurricane recovery and disaster mitigation program covered in the Memorandum of Understanding will be implemented by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in partnership with the Government of The Bahamas.
USAID is an independent United States government agency responsible for providing economic, developmental and humanitarian assistance around the world in support of the foreign policy goals of the United States.
The assistance is part of a $100 million U.S. Government hurricane recovery and risk reduction effort for the Caribbean that the U.S. Congress approved in October, 2004. The bulk of the $500,000 provided to The Bahamas will be used to construct replacement homes for persons living in West End, Grand Bahama.
Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs the Hon. Vincent Peet said the agreement affords The Bahamas the opportunity to not only continue its recovery efforts following ‘one of the most catastrophic hurricane seasons in the history of The Bahamas’, but also to develop a Hurricane Reconstruction Program that will ‘prepare us for any natural disaster that may come.’
Minister Peet said Wednesday’s signing was very timely as there have already been four named Tropical Storms in the region just a little over a month into the 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season.
‘The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding is, therefore, very timely and the assistance provided therein will go a long way in assisting The Bahamas in implementing its disaster management and mitigation programs,’ said Minister Peet.
‘The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding today is also indicative of the strong, deep and abiding relationship that exists between our two countries. Indeed this document reaffirms the common interests, mutual concern and the spirit of cooperation that we have shared and will continue to share in the years to come,’ Minister Peet added.
Mr. Peet commended the Government of the United States for being ‘among the first group of countries’ to respond to The Bahamas’ hurricane relief efforts following the passage of Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne, whose costs have been estimated at $551 million or ten per cent of The Bahamas? Gross Domestic Product.
He said the U.S. Government’s response was ‘very impressive’ as it came before there was a true appreciation of the magnitude of the damage that was sustained in The Bahamas as a result of the two hurricanes.
‘As a result, you sought your government’s assistance through USAID to provide humanitarian assistance to the most affected areas in The Bahamas, in particular the islands of Grand Bahama and Abaco,’ said Minister Peet.
‘Thanks to your efforts and that of USAID, The Bahamas received almost $500,000 of emergency assistance. This amount included emergency relief supplies, local air transport, the distribution of emergency relief supplies, as well as monetary assistance for the emergency relief efforts of the Bahamas Red Cross.
‘I wish to express, on behalf of the people and the Government of the Bahamas, our sincere appreciation to the Government of the United States for its continued support of our efforts for the sustainable development of our nation, as evidenced by this Memorandum of Understanding,’ Minister Peet added.
United States Ambassador to The Bahamas His Excellency John Rood said the monies provided for in the memorandum will be used to help rebuild damaged houses and to train communities in disaster awareness.
Ambassador Rood said officials will use a comprehensive approach to ensure that the homes that are rebuilt in West End will be constructed to proper building codes so that they will be able to withstand future hurricanes.
“We are going to see other storms that will reach the magnitude of Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne or even greater in the future,’ said Ambassador Rood. ‘When you see the devastation that these storms cause, not just to buildings, but to the people’ their heart, their drive, their ambitions’ it is awful and so we have to create shelter so that they don’t lose everything every time one of these storms come around.”
Mr. Rood said the agreement not only signifies a strong relationship between the United States and The Bahamas, but also demonstrates the U.S. Government’s commitment to a risk reduction program for the entire region.
“Cooperative partnerships and responsible governance are both imperative actions in order for the region to adequately prepare for future natural disasters,’ said Ambassador Rood. ‘I am pleased and proud to be here today as we once again confirm the friendship and commitment between the peoples of The Bahamas and the United States.”
Karen Turner, Mission Director of the USAID, Jamaica-Caribbean Regional Program, said the program will not merely repair and rebuild homes to pre-hurricane standards or better, but will also help to empower vulnerable communities in The Bahamas to be better prepared for and more resilient to future natural disasters.
Ms. Turner said the program will also help generate employment for persons who lost their livelihood as a result of the 2004 hurricanes. She said an education awareness component has also been included and will distribute training materials about hurricane resistant building techniques to homeowners in under-served communities.
She said the construction and other assistance under the program will be channeled through local entities so that Bahamians can help other Bahamians ‘build back better’ the organizations theme for its hurricane recovery programs.
“Building back better means that the homes will be in compliance with local building codes and will incorporate hurricane resistant building techniques such as hurricane straps,” said Ms. Turner.
