Nothing will be left to chance when it comes to response, says substantive minister
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — House Speaker Patricia Deveaux scathingly chastised the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and its head, Captain Stephen Russell, in the House of Assembly Thursday morning for their response to a burst that affected some members of his constituency on Wednesday.
What I can say is that we had the team on the ground, but NEMA was not present. Natural disasters don’t happen between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. — Chamber President Patricia Deveaux
Deveaux said Bamboo Town was badly affected by the weather system, including two elderly citizens who lost their roofs and the interior structure of their homes.
Before criticizing NEMA, she thanked several people for their help following the event.
She said when she called Russell, he referred her to the Department of Public Works for help.
“What I didn’t see in the field was NEMA and I say that because I contacted Commander Russell,” she said.
“I don’t know if he was at home watching the game because I heard they had a game last night to say he wasn’t there and that’s who we have to reach out with an emergency response and I’m terribly, terribly disturbed by this.
“And I tell him, I told him — I didn’t lie to him — I told him I’ll talk to him from my chair.
“That’s where I have my voice. I had some 80 year olds who had live wires, hanging power lines and also no roof or power last night.
“They had to go to bed with such damage done to their house.
“What I can say is that we had the team on the ground, but NEMA was not there.
“Natural disasters do not occur between 9 and 5.
“Natural disasters happen all the time in the middle of the night and so, I say this to say, these people, if they want desk jobs from 9am to 5pm, give them their desk jobs.
“[Because] I had a natural disaster last night and the minister and all these other people were on the ground until 9 p.m. last night trying to help me find a solution and this morning the Department of Social Services is sending the little -lunch.
“Thank you for serving these people by ensuring they have hot meals and we are trying to find a roof to put over their heads as we speak.”
Deveaux said Myles Laroda, minister of state in the Prime Minister’s Office responsible for NEMA, was helpful when she contacted him.
“But sometimes,” she said, “we have people on assignment under our umbrellas who don’t have the same vision that we have in place to move this country forward. s
“So I’m very troubled about that and they’ll understand me, when it comes to Bamboo Town, I have no doubts and the way those people had to sleep last night was unworthy, so you tell Mr. Russell for me.”
Laroda said he spoke to Captain Russell about the speaker’s disappointment and that other agencies were on the ground to help.
He said Captain Russell told him he had been advised the bad weather was in the Cowpen Road area, not Bamboo Town.
He said he asked the permanent secretary to schedule a meeting today involving Captain Russell and other NEMA officials.
“There will be no slouching when it comes to the response,” he said.
