By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
Tribune Staff Reporter
lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

AS Hurricane Melissa barrels toward the south-eastern Bahamas, Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) officers ordered to stay behind in Inagua say they are being left to “ride out the storm” in unsafe and inadequate conditions — claims Commodore Floyd Moxey has strongly rejected as false and “stupid”.

Officers stationed in Matthew Town, speaking anonymously, told The Tribune they are facing critical food shortages, malfunctioning generators, and cramped, unsanitary quarters while the government evacuates civilians ahead of the storm.

One officer said: “The hurricane shelter is close. Only persons on the ground are BDF and we are in a low line [low-lying] area which is yards away from the sea.” 

Another added: “The buildings are not worthy we are staying in. Food supply is less to nothing; we have more cleaning materials than food.”

Some officers said they had to buy food on credit from the island’s only store, R and J, describing meals limited to “wings, soup, noodles, corned beef and macaroni”. They claimed the generator was unreliable and that conditions were worsening by the hour.

“The captain that comes over, he has all the bells and whistles. Internet, own personal space and car - eats what he wants versus the marines. The internet only can send communication, can’t watch nothing like Netflix or nothing entertaining. Two to three marines in a room and there are four rooms and one bathroom. Food is horrible and if no food reaches you, you on your own or eat noodles,” one officer said. 

Officers said supplies may last only a few days, with one saying: “I can’t focus when your life is at risk.” They said the island’s medical personnel, administrator, and police had already been evacuated, leaving only Defence Force members behind.

Commodore Moxey dismissed the complaints, insisting that officers are well supplied and following established hurricane protocols. He said the RBDF has provisions to last “two, three months” and that detachments always remain to protect government assets.

“We have advanced team that is customary that they will go there, stay in the secure shelter and preserve government assets. That is nothing strange, that is what we do at every hurricane,” he said.

“They are marines, the Defence Force have a special duty in times of natural disaster to assist and family members must understand this. They are not married to civilians.

“It is part of our mandate to assist in times of natural disaster. We're not going to put our people in harm's way. Our people are going to be safe. They're going to be secure. They have the food; they have the medical that they need to get them through this storm. We have a responsibility to protect government assets.”

He described reports of unliveable conditions as “stupid” and said he “totally dispels that”.

“Those living conditions are not habitable? Well, that is not my understanding. I was in charge of many detachments in Matthew Town, Inagua. I definitely dispute that.”

Commodore Moxey said 16 officers remain in Inagua and seven in Ragged Island, saying their presence is essential for post-storm assessments.

“Who,” he said, “going to protect the government's property? Who is going to protect the government's asset? Who is going to do the assessment exactly after the storm? Isn’t that what the Defence Force do?”

Family members of the officers are pressing for immediate clarification from authorities.

But Commodore Moxey said: “I understand the concern of the family members, but we have to look at the big picture.”

Prime Minister Philip "Brave" Davis has ordered the evacuation of residents from Inagua, Acklins, Crooked Island, Long Cay, Mayaguana, and Ragged Island. Officials said transportation was being provided for more than 1,400 evacuees to New Providence, where shelters and support systems are in place.