By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

REPAIRS are underway on about 20 homes in Grand Bahama and work should start soon on Abaco, according to Executive Chairman of the Disaster Reconstruction Authority Alex Storr.

He reported that an assessment and scope of works for every single home on the islands of Grand Bahama and Abaco have been completed by the DRA.

“Repairs are now ongoing in Grand Bahama. I am not sure about the exact number (of homes), but it is around 20,” he said yesterday when contacted by The Tribune.

In January, Mr Storr indicated the next phase of the Small Homes Repair Programme would begin with 200 homes: 100 on Grand Bahama and 100 on Abaco at a cost of $1.6 million.

“We are also getting ready to start in Abaco and once we start doing some things there, we are going to start reviewing both islands, and even increase what we are doing now,” he explained.

“We have completed by our records, everybody who has applied for assistance with the DRA. We have seen them and conducted an assessment of their houses, and we have the scope of works prepared for every single house on both islands that need repairs.”

The DRA executive said there may be a handful of people who have reached out to them concerning repairs that they have not gotten to yet.

“We are actively trying to get those persons (sorted out). But we are ready to go with some internal things we must finish with the Ministry of Finance. As soon as all is in order, it is going to be an even wider roll out of the programme,” said Mr Storr.

Mr Storr said that a total of under 2,000 homes were identified for repairs under the programme.

He noted that because of two partnerships with NGOs, many people that had originally applied had received some assistance from NGOs.

The goal now, he stressed, is to get all the homes completed before the next hurricane season.

“If things work out the way we envision them, we want by the time hurricane season comes around we would have repaired every house and have them properly secured,” he said.

The DRA chairman indicated that the budget has increased, and that some changes were made to the programme.

“It may be more than ($1.6m) because we are going to change some things in the programme. We are going to buy all the building supplies and are going to be using contractors. And building materials have seen sharp increases, as well as shipping costs.”

Mr Storr also provided an update on other matters that are being addressed by the DRA.

He noted that work is now ongoing and coming along at the hurricane shelter in Central Pines, Abaco.

The debris management site in Treasure Cay, he said, is also now being secured.

“We had gotten reports that people may have been using some of the debris from there to feed some of the shanty towns. So, that site is now secured, and we hope that it has put an end to that,” Mr Storr said.

In Sweeting’s Cay, he said there has been some delay with the septic tank installation work due to logistical challenges.

“We hope to begin there shortly. There were some logistical challenges, but all the septic tanks have been purchased and just need to be transported there. The contractor is transporting them and will begin the work immediately,” Mr Storr said.

As for Elbow Cay, he has received reports that the contractor has cleared that debris site “ahead of schedule.”

“It is debris free and hopefully the investor will be able to start his project shortly,” Mr Storr stated.

He stated that a private investor who was starting a project there had allowed the then DRA under the former administration to store all debris on that island on the site.

He claimed that the investor wanted to start his project there, but there was some delay.

“We met a contract ongoing in place and we had to cancel that. We issued a new contract, and that site is now being cleared a month ahead of schedule,” he said.