The DRA Completes Installations of Septic Tanks and Soak-aways for Sweetings Cay Residents

Marsh Harbour, Abaco, Bahamas, Friday, November 24, 2023 – The Abaco hurricane shelter building project met a significant milestone when it was inspected and enthusiastically endorsed by the High Commissioner for India to Jamaica, The Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the British Virgin Island Shri R. Masakui, and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Assistant Resident Representative, Ava Whyte-Anderson.

The Government of India, represented by High Commissioner Shri R. Masakui, is a significant donor to the project, providing financial support through the UNDP’s multi-country office in Jamaica.

The Hon. Myles K. LaRoda and the executive leadership of the Disaster Reconstruction Authority (DRA) led this important site visit, which also included officials from the Ministry of Disaster Risk Management and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

The DRA oversees the project and is pleased to receive positive commendation from the Indian government and the UNDP. The Authority has been working for many months to correct severe deficiencies in the building’s foundation that were uncovered after the organization inherited the project from the previous administrative team. Several caverns, some as deep as twenty feet, were found underneath the building’s foundation, which the DRA’s current leadership team met in place. These caverns compromised the structure, rendering it unsafe and at risk of collapse.

These foundation issues posed an unexpected hurdle and required significant and strategic remediation by the DRA team and its contractors to ensure the strength and safety of the shelter.

During the site visit, the delegation was given a project brief by project manager Chris Symonette of Chris Symonette and Associates and contractors Wilkem Solutions. A tour of the structure and site ensued, and the structure is starting to take visible shape.

The delegation, having gained a deeper appreciation for the substantial mitigation work conducted to bring the project to this promising stage, expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved and commended the combined efforts of the DRA’s team, the project managers, and local contractors for getting the project back on track.

– By Llonella Gilbert/Bahamas Information Services