GRAND BAHAMA, The Bahamas — With the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season at its peak for the Northern Bahamas, the Government of The Bahamas is making the rounds to ensure all available hurricane shelters are fully functioning and ready to take in evacuees should the need arise.
During a recent visit to Grand Bahama, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Philip Davis accompanied West Grand Bahama Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry for Grand Bahama, Kingsley Smith on a tour of the Eight Mile Rock High School Gymnasium.
With a maximum capacity of 500 people, the gym — now considered a multi-purpose community centre — is able to accommodate a wide-range of sporting activities, and with renovations now just about complete, it can once again serve as the largest emergency shelter for West Grand Bahama.
West Grand Bahama, over the years, has seen more than its fair share of hurricane damage. It is considered the storm capital of the region. The land is inherently low-lying which makes it vulnerable to flooding from heavy rains and with ocean water all around — sea surge. Fully functioning and fully equipped shelters, in tandem with proper evacuation plans and proper drainage, are necessary requirements for area residents. Works to repair the gym, which had been in a state of disrepair for a number of years, began in 2023 and included improvements to the flooring and roof.
Expressing his elation at the finished works, Mr. Smith noted that as an emergency shelter, the Eight Mile Rock High School Gymnasium will complement the community and overall island’s current shelter listing. “West Grand Bahama is prone to hurricanes and West End in particular is a mandatory evacuation zone, should the need arise, so this will play a major role in our constituency. I’m sure that once we open and commission this site, you will see the appreciation in the many smiles on the faces of West Grand Bahama residents,” he stated.
Contractor Tadd Martin of Skye’s Construction Company said a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into the works as he wanted to ensure a quality facility that residents could depend on for years to come. “We knew what we had to do to bring the finished product to reality so we had a lot of sleepless nights. It was a project well planned and executed,” he said.
Following the tour of the facility, Prime Minister Davis, impressed, gave kudos to Martin and his team at Skye’s Construction Company. “I’m really proud of our young Bahamians who have come up to answer the call to be professional in the execution of their craft. I mean the finishing work here, the way they have executed this work is marvellous and we have to be proud of our young Bahamians… it’s just part of our mandate to ensure that we invest in our young people — at the end of the day, investing in this is investing in young people.”
An official opening, pending a final assessment from Ministry of Works and Family Island Affairs officials, is expected in short order.
(BIS Photos/Jamika Culmer)
