By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE Disaster Risk Management Authority (DRMA) has condemned an act of vandalism at the under-construction Abaco Shelter and Community Centre, calling it a reckless blow to the island’s ongoing recovery efforts at the start of hurricane season.

The shelter, intended as the first purpose-built storm facility in Abaco, was broken into late Friday night. According to the site contractor, someone gained entry through a rear door, spray-painted interior walls and doors, and scattered insulation materials on the floor. The insulation was apparently set on fire but did not ignite due to its fire-retardant properties. The incident has been reported to police and remains under investigation.

“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,” said Aarone Sargent, managing director of the DRMA. “It is a shame to think someone may have been seeking to damage or destroy this shelter.”

Mr Sargent said the facility is critical to the island’s hurricane preparedness and that such acts of vandalism risk undermining public confidence and deterring future support from international donors.

“This shelter is a crucial asset for the 2025 hurricane season, which is forecast to be above average, and for seasons to come,” he said.

The project, expected to be finished at $4.5m, is funded in part by international partners, including a $1m donation from the Indian government. The shelter is designed to withstand Category 5 storms and house hundreds of residents during emergencies. It is the first of several such facilities planned to address shelter gaps in Abaco.

Construction, however, has been marred by persistent delays. Initially announced in late 2020, the shelter was scheduled for completion in 2021. Structural issues, including foundational defects and collapsed roof trusses, significantly pushed back that timeline. As recently as March this year, government officials assured residents the shelter would be ready for the 2025 hurricane season.

Despite the weekend’s incident, the DRMA says the vandalism is not expected to impact the remaining construction schedule significantly.

Still, the act has stirred anger and disappointment among residents and local officials, many of whom have spent nearly six years trying to rebuild from the devastation of Hurricane Dorian.

Central Abaco Chief Councillor Farrand Newbold said the community is “deeply saddened” by the vandalism, describing it as a setback during a crucial period of vulnerability.

“We still have individuals who are trying to repair their homes, and have not even gotten it closed in properly,” he said. “So, there are lots of persons that would still be depending on these shelters.”

Mr Newbold added that he hoped police would find those responsible and stressed that incidents like this could deter future donations. “Of course, it is a bad look from our side. It will discourage them from being willing to spend their money.”

Pastor Silbert Mills, of Friendship Tabernacle Church in Central Pines, said he was “extremely disappointed” by the attack. Mr Mills, who was previously a member of the Disaster Reconstruction Authority Board, emphasised the importance of the shelter and the goodwill behind its funding.

“I understand how precious that donation was to the people of Abaco after the Indian government saw the devastation of Abaco, and then said, ‘what can we do to help these people,’” he said. “You know what it is for a government to cough up a million dollars to put in a community shelter for a people who have never been to India?”

Mr Mills added that the shelter holds deep symbolic value for residents who lived through Dorian, and warned that if the attack had succeeded in setting the building on fire, the consequences could have been disastrous.

The DRMA has increased security at the site and is urging anyone with information about the vandalism to come forward.