A HURRICANE shelter under construction in Abaco has been damaged by a vandal who tried to set a fire in the building.

The Abaco Shelter and Communite Centre was damaged in an incident overnight. This morning, the site contractor found that someone had entered the building thorugh a rear door and defaced interior walls and doors with spray paint. 

The vandal had also scattered insulation material across the floor and tried to ignite it, said the Disaster Risk Management Authority. However, the insulation is fire-retardent and there was no significant fire damage to the structure. 

Police have been notified, and the DRMA said extra security measures are being implemented. 

Central and South Andros MP Leon Lundy, Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, said officials are confident they can get the project on track. The DRMA said it is not expected the vandalism will significantly delay construction.

DRMA managing director Aarone Sargent said: "It is a shame to think someone may have been seeking to damage or destroy this shelter. This facility is an urgently needed addition to Abaco’s recovery—one that strengthens the progress the community has already worked so hard to achieve. The people of Abaco are still living with the long-term impacts of Hurricane Dorian and are long overdue for the kind of shelter capacity this building will provide. This shelter is a crucial asset for the 2025 hurricane season, which is forecast to be above average, and for seasons to come.”