By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

Bimini businesses were yesterday said to be eager to "get back up and running" in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, despite continued electricity supply and ATM service disruption.

Edward Reckley, the Bimini Chamber of Commerce president, and Under the Sun Water Sports owner, told Tribune Business: "The concern that we have right now is ensuring that we get everything back up and running.

"Resorts World and Bimini Big Game are closed. Resorts World's dock sustained some damage, and getting it back up and running is going to take a little more time." Resorts World suggested last week that it was tentatively targeting a September 27 re-opening.

"Bimini Big Game is also closed,"Mr Reckley said. "Basically, our visitors come from Florida, which was impacted, and so there is concern there.

"We are hoping to get electricity fully restored and get everything back in operation. With electricity being in and out, the ATM was also affected, so persons had difficulty getting cash. We just want to get everything back up and running. It's a community here; everyone works together in a lot of ways. The main concern is electricity, and BPL is doing an excellent job trying to restore power, which has affected the telephone services as well."

Roderick Simms, chair of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation's (BCCEC) Family Island division, who conducted an initial assessment on Bimini and Grand Bahama over the weekend, told Tribune Business: "Currently, with Resorts World and the Bimini Big Game Resort being closed there is a shortage of rooms on the island if tourists would like to visit.

"Considerable damage was done to Resorts World's dock, and Big Game received some damage also. In addition to those two operations there were small businesses which had damages, such as flooding to loss of inventory and refrigeration equipment. One of the issues now is the bank [Bank of the Bahamas] is trying to bring up its operations, and the ATM is down and it's difficult to get cash."