MARSH HARBOUR, Abaco, The Bahamas -- Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for the Ministry of Disaster Risk Management, the Hon. Leon Lundy, began a two-day Official Visit to Abaco with an initial stop at the Office of the Prime Minister, Abaco.  

The Office is located in the Government Complex in Marsh Harbour.

Mr. Lundy, who was appointed to the role in January, 2024, was greeted by Mr. John. H. Pinder, Member of Parliament for South and Central Abaco and Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, and Mr. Kirk Cornish, Member of Parliament for North Abaco, and follows on the heels of a similar mission to Grand Bahama over the February 15-16 period.

Grand Bahama and Abaco are considered to be in the "Hurricane Belt '' having experienced more hurricanes than any other area in this region.

Abaco, in particular, has experienced more major hurricanes (Category 3 and higher) than anywhere else in the region over the past 175 years according to data collected and assessed over that timeframe.  During the stop at the Office of the Prime Minister, State Minister Lundy met with officials across the government sector, including those involved in disaster risk management and planning on-island, in addition to key stakeholders.

The visit will also provide State-Minister Lundy and his delegation with an opportunity to conduct personalized assessments on the ground ahead of the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season which officially begins June 1 and ends November 30.

State-Minister Lundy was accompanied to Abaco by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Disaster Risk Management, Dr. Marcellus Taylor; Mr. Alex Storr, Chairman, Disaster Reconstruction Authority (D.R.A.); Mr. Aarone Sargent, Managing Director, Disaster Reconstruction Authority; Captain Stephen Russell, Director, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and Mr. Cyprian A. Gibson, Deputy General Manager, Water and Sewerage Corporation.

A full schedule was executed on Day One by the State-Minister and his delegation that also included technical experts from a cross-section of government ministries, corporations and departments. The schedule consisted of visits to the Spring City Debris Management Site; visits to the Water and Sewerage Treatment Plants in Spring City and Marsh Harbour; site inspection of the Abaco Hurricane Shelter and Community Centre under construction in Central Pines, in addition to site visits to the Disaster Reconstruction Authority's new office and warehouse facility located off the Don McKay Boulevard, and a visit to Central Pines Homes, a collaboration between Discovery Land Company and the Disaster Reconstruction Authority.

Mr. Lundy's visit to the Spring City Debris Management Site included stops at Inspection of the Clean Air Burning Site, the Metal Sorting Site and the demobilization site for the removing, recycling and relocating of non-biodegradable materials.

The day concludes with a Town Hall Meeting at the Agape School Gymnasium, Marsh Harbour.

The visit concludes Friday, February 23, with visits to the Abaco Cays.

Photos show: State-Minister Lundy and delegation meeting with Disaster Risk Management teams on the ground in Abaco; touring the Abaco Hurricane Shelter and Community Center in Central Pines during one of the scheduled stops; and being briefed by Cyprian Gibson, Deputy General Manager, Water and Sewerage Corporation on the WSC new Solar Water Plant and Pumping Station in Marsh Harbour.  Water and Sewerage plays a critical role not only in everyday life, but especially during natural disasters as both systems can become compromised.