By JADE RUSSELL

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

THE demolition process of domes in Abaco officially began yesterday, more than two years after some 34 domes were built to assist residents with temporary homes.

The Free National Movement called the action “heartless”.

In July, Housing and Transport Minister Jobeth Coleby-Davis announced that the government was aiming to have the structures demolished and taken off the property by August.

Despite some criticisms about the removal of the domes, Mrs Coleby-Davis repeatedly stressed that they were a safety hazard due to lack of proper ventilation and excess mould being found in them.

DRA executive chairman Alex Storr noted that dome dwellers were to receive a monetary assistance fund of $4,000 to assist with their relocation to a permanent home.

In an interview with The Tribune, Gaynell Rolle, the under-secretary of the Department of Housing, confirmed that the demolition of the domes started yesterday.

Ms Rolle said: “So we have started the process, as you know there are some 30 plus almost 40 domes. I really don’t think all will be completed today because it’s a stage process. It took quite a number of times to put them up so no, all won’t be demolished today. But we have begun that process to getting the site ready so we can put some homes there on property. So, persons will be able to once again look at that area with pride.”

During the interview, Ms Rolle emphasised that they were active in the relocation process for the former dome dwellers.

“The residents of the domes were treated most humanely. We went to the place where we even went to the landlord in some instances and helped them to get a place to relocate. In some instances where persons only needed to have some repairs done to their home, in addition to being placed, given money to be in a temporary residence. Once we were made aware of it, the departments of the DRA, Social Services, Department of Housing, the Office of the Prime Minister, whatever it took, we did that.

“We could complete the domes, do a crash and demolish those domes today. But there were some persons who were still a bit sensitive to the crashing of them. So, we now have the contractor hand dismantling them. And for me, that’s a longer painful process, because the longer you see them, they’re being dismantled, the longer it takes for us to give you something really nice,” she said.

She said about ten domes were due to be destroyed.

Yesterday, the opposition party condemned the demolition, saying that they watched in “shock” and “dismay” of the temporary homes being destroyed.

“We watched with shock and dismay, the horrific demolishing of the domes on Abaco this morning. Bahamian families, including men, women and children occupied these domes, which were erected to address the shortage of housing as a result of the passage of Hurricane Dorian on the island of Abaco,” FNM leader Michael Pintard said.

“The domes were not disassembled and stored in the event of any future natural or man-made catastrophe. Instead dome residents and the rest of the country watched in horror as these structures were bulldozed and destroyed,” his statement noted.

The opposition called the Davis administration and Ministry of Housing actions “heartless”.

With the hurricane season upon us the opposition noted the Davis administration demolishing the domes is happening at the “worst possible time.” He said that instead of the government relieving residents of their pain they are inflicting even more.

Some Abaco residents were also outraged.

In one video posted on Facebook, some residents expressed their displeasure that people’s homes were being destroyed, forcing them to have to relocate.

Hurricane Dorian hit Abaco on September 1, 2019 as a Category 5 hurricane before barreling toward Grand Bahama.

The storm left thousands of homes either destroyed or damaged and scores of residents displaced.

To assist with rebuilding efforts, the Minnis administration spent more than $6m on nearly 200 domes that were supposed to be used as temporary housing for Abaco and Grand Bahama residents after Hurricane Dorian.

However, not all of those domes were erected.