FREEPORT, Grand Bahama, The Bahamas -- Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for the Disaster Reconstruction Authority (DRA) and the National Emergency Management Association (NEMA), the Hon. Leon Lundy, visited Grand Bahama, February 15-16, 2024 with a goal of becoming more acquainted with the operation of both agencies on the island.

State Minister Lundy, accompanied by Marcellus Taylor, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Disaster Risk Management; Alex Storr, Chairman of the DRA; Aarone Sargent, Managing Director/DRA; Captain Stephen Russell, director of NEMA and other officials began their fact-finding mission with a courtesy call on Minister for Grand Bahama, the Hon. Ginger Moxey and newly-appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry for Grand Bahama, Joel Lewis.

Grand Bahama’s recovery from Hurricane Dorian (2019) and on-going home repairs by the DRA, were among the subjects discussed during the meeting. Updates on the cooperation between the DRA, NEMA and the Ministry for Grand Bahama on contingency plans and preparation for future storms were also high on the agenda.

“Grand Bahama is still in the mode of recovery,” Minister Moxey said on previous occasions in her public discourse on what her Ministry and the DRA have been working together to accomplish over the past four years. “Much work has been done, but there is still more work to do.”

State Minister Lundy and his delegation proceeded to view some of the work that has been carried out by the DRA since the onslaught of Category 5 Hurricane Dorian, which wreaked havoc on homes in Grand Bahama, particularly in the Western and Eastern parts of the island. Mr. Lundy visited the offices of the DRA, where he met with Opposition Leader Michael Pintard, along with Opposition members Kwasi Thompson and Iram Lewis, and executives of the DRA.

“The Prime Minister of the Bahamas has mandated us – and it’s in our Blueprint for Change – where recovery is a key component in moving forward; but we also wanted to look at preparedness," he noted to the media as he made visits.

From there, the State Minister was given a tour of the NEMA Warehouse in Hawksbill, which played a major role following the passage of Hurricane Dorian. The warehouse became a major hub for the delivery of goods and vitally needed supplies from agencies throughout the United States and from around the globe for residents of Grand Bahama, once the recovery and rebuilding phase had begun.

A visit to the newly acquired and renovated offices of the Freeport Emergency Operation Center provided the State Minister with a closer look into how NEMA is preparing to mitigate any possible hiccups that may present itself in the event of another natural disaster in the future. Certain parts of the offices are presently still in the state of being renovated, but the critical call center has been set up and is ready to go if needed.

Mr. Lundy pointed out that merging NEMA, the DRA and other such agencies into one is important because legislation to make the merger possible was passed in the House of Assembly in 2022.

“Our goal is to combine all of the agencies into one ministry and so that was the reason we came to Grand Bahama, to meet the staff members at all of the departments, to let them know our vision moving forward with preparedness in the Northern Bahamas,” State Minister Lundy added during his visits between the DRA’s and NEMA’s offices.

“It was extremely important to meet the staff, but to also meet a lot of the leaders here in Grand Bahama.  Next week, we will be in Abaco. But it's really where you lay the foundation where everyone buys into what you’re trying to do as a government.”

DRA officials wanted to ensure that the State Minister got a tour into the DRA’s warehouse, where building supplies are housed, ready for use in the Authority’s home repair program, which has been on-going over the past four years.

“In our discussions with the Minister for Grand Bahama, we talked about ensuring that the warehouse remains adequately supplied, making sure that all of the places we chose as hurricane shelters are properly adequate to house people in the event of an emergency.

“It’s all about coming together to formulate a plan and make sure that everyone feels that it’s a solid plan, that the proper foundation is laid, and we move forward in one direction to serve the people.”

Mr. Lundy wrapped up his first day in Grand Bahama with a visit to several homes in West Grand Bahama that have been repaired by the DRA and some that are still in the process of being repaired.

He concluded his trip on Friday, with tours of repaired homes in East Grand Bahama.

COURTESY CALL – Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister, with responsibility for the Disaster Reconstruction Authority (DRA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Leon Lundy (fourth from left) paid a courtesy call on Minister for Grand Bahama, Ginger Moxey (center) on Thursday, February 15, 2024 at the Ministry for Grand Bahama.  It was State Minister Lundy’s first official visit to Grand Bahama. Also in the delegation were (from left):  Aarone Sargent (Acting Manager and Director), Ralph Hanna (Board Director), Marcellus Taylor (PS in the Ministry of Disaster Risk Management), State Minister Lundy, Minister Moxey, Joel Lewis, (PS for the Ministry of Grand Bahama), Alex Storr (Chairman of DRA), Captain Stephen Russell (Director of NEMA) and Cyprian Gibson (Deputy GM of the Water and Sewerage Corporation).

MEETING WITH OPPOSITION – State Minister Leon Lundy (second from left, seated), along with executives of DRA and NEMA, met with opposition members Michael Pintard, Kwasi Thompson and Iram Lewis at the office of the DRA on Thursday, February 15, 2024.

MEETING WITH MINISTER MOXEY

AT NEMA’S WAREHOUSE

VISITING CALL CENTER

TOURING DRA WAREHOUSE

GOOD TO MEET YOU

BIS Photos