The government intensified efforts on Saturday to ship food supplies into Grand Bahama because food stores there are finding it hard to keep up with the demand, particularly because of shipping delays associated with Hurricane Ivan.<\/P><\/p>\n
The Port of Miami has been closed at intervals because of the hurricane.<\/P><\/p>\n
Running water, meanwhile, has been restored to all areas of Grand Bahama, but the government is continuing to ship drinking water to that island which was devastated by Hurricane Frances, Prime Minister Perry Christie said Sunday.<\/P><\/p>\n
The prime minister also announced that the Grand Bahama Port Authority is working assiduously to bring food supplies to residents in need. The Port will be bringing a trailer load of food several times over the next few days, he said.<\/P><\/p>\n
\uff93They wanted to do it for seven consecutive days, but they\uffb4re saying the demand cannot be met,\uff92 the prime minister said.<\/P><\/p>\n
A barge of food also arrived in Grand Bahama Sunday through a corporate donor, he announced.<\/P><\/p>\n
Mr. Christie said specific and careful attention is being placed on the distribution of these items to ensure that the process is fair.<\/P><\/p>\n
In an attempt to ensure fairness, he said, the government\uffb4s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), dispatched 40 defence force officers to Grand Bahama.<\/P><\/p>\n
\uff93[They] were sent to Grand Bahama to guarantee as much as one can, rigid control over distribution,\uff92 Mr. Christie said. \uff93Obviously, there are lapses and obviously some people are concerned\uff85so very clearly, in an operation of this kind, we try to work out the kinks.\uff92<\/P><\/p>\n
He said the other islands affected by the hurricane are also receiving the necessary attention.<\/P><\/p>\n
\uff93We do understand that when you are appearing to focus predominantly on one major island, a lot of other islands and smaller communities feel that you are not doing enough for them,\uff92 the prime minister said.<\/P><\/p>\n
\uff93But I think it is fair to say that [we] are satisfied that [we are] reaching all of the affected communities with a regular supply of their needs.\uff92<\/P><\/p>\n
He said by Monday, he will \uff93hammer out\uff92 the necessary provisions of a programme to be presented to Cabinet on Tuesday morning for repairs to begin in accordance with the greatest need in the country.<\/P><\/p>\n
\uff93We must learn from the delays that have been attendant with other efforts and we must move very quickly to try to bring relief to people,\uff92 Prime Minister Christie said. <\/P><\/p>\n
He added, \uff93Wherever we can, we have allowed and encouraged those who are here in our country as investors to contribute liberally to our cause, whether it\uffb4s in the form of money, goods or services.\uff92<\/P><\/p>\n
Mr. Christie said Kerzner International, the largest private employer in the country, has offered to assist in hurricane relief efforts and details of that assistance will soon be finalized.<\/P><\/p>\n
Candia Dames, The Bahama Journal<\/B><\/P><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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