HURRICANE DAMAGE ASSESSMENT BEGINS

Officials say the total damage caused by Hurricane Richard exceed 33 point 8 million dollars. According to figures presented by NEMO Coordinator Noreen Fairweather, the preliminary estimates are based on information gathered throughout Sunday night and early Monday.

Noreen Fairweather; National Coordinator, NEMO

"In terms of damages to homes almost two hundred homes were destroyed. We are looking at some preliminary figures around $3.6 million. Recovery works, and when I say recovery works I am about the basic clearing of the roads and highways, the removal of the trees and debris and putting things back in order countrywide. Not recovery in terms of replacing any structural work that may have been done on our road network, bridges, culverts etcetera. This is just recovery for the removal of debris and the other things that are blocking the roads. Our estimate for that is around a million dollars. Throughout the passage or Hurricane Richard we had about four thousand six hundred plus people in shelters. Unfortunately with some of those houses going down and people loosing their roof there are persons that we will have to continue to accommodate and support in shelter with some sort of relief supplies, feeding and bedding. We have an estimate of about $100 thousand that would meet those expenses given a certain timeframe. We feel that we can get them back on some semblance of normalcy. As the minister mentioned the citrus industry really took a great hit. When we flew over this morning and I am sure when the dana team went over and fly over the orchards it looks great. As the chopper went down all the fruits were on the ground. All the grapefruits and all the oranges were on the ground. A couple trees were on the ground but all the fruits were on the ground. We gave an initial estimate and after speaking to the people in the industry they narrowed it down, they were a bit hesitant to come up with the figures for us, but obviously they were doing their assessment. At the end of the day our ball park estimates based on past experience, their estimates based on their experience we came up with $29.1 million loss in the citrus industry."

Fairweather said the loss caused by the utilities have no dollar figure as yet; neither does the losses in the tourism sector. A detailed assessment of the losses will be released later. Prime Minister Dean Barrow once again committed to assisting every person affected by Hurricane Richard. 

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

"While there has not been a loss of life the damage is extensive and in a minute the minister and Mrs. Fairweather will give you the details as to the damage. My job really is to find the money. My job is to really assure all those that have been affected especially in terms of their homes having been destroyed or their roofs having flown off or at least zincs on the roof having lifted off my job is to assure these people that each and every last one of them will have his or her home repaired or rebuilt as the case may be. Don't press me too hard on where the money is going to come from but I make a solemn commitment that in fact from the various sources that we have already looked at we are going to find the money."

He urged those who were affected to have a little bit of patience.  In the rebuilding process, the Prime Minister said the work will be divided between NEMO and Ministry of Works. 

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

"We expect to divide up the work, in terms of the reconstruction of homes and the repair of homes, between NEMO proper and the ministry of works... In other words in the Belize city area where there is extensive damage in Port Loyal, in Collet, in Balama especially phase four so in the Freetown constituency and I believe to a lesser extent but still substantial in the Lake Independence constituency. The Ministry of works will be in charge of the reconstruction efforts. Again, Ministry of works will take on additional personnel so there will be some jobs to be had. It really is ill wind that blows absolutley no good. We will be able to create some employment in terms of trying to, ensure that we in fact launch and complete the recovery efforts as quickly as possible. In the other areas NEMO will take care of Business."         

He said this would provide additional employment. Minister of NEMO Melvin Hulse said during the passage of Hurricane Richard over four thousand people were affected. Minister Hulse said it is important for the public to trust NEMO to do its job.

Melvin Hulse; Minister of NEMO

"This is a wakeup call. It's a hundred miles an hour guys, it's a category one. That a not no big breeze. You trust me, in relation to describing hurricanes and understanding the magnitude and the destructiveness of a hurricane category one is a joke, it is literally a joke but that joke messed up a citrus industry affected two hundred homes across several districts, put people into shelter, almost have people lives being lost a hundred miles. In Belmopan where everybody was complacent over the years, you see what has happened? You can become the eye and they did become the eye. "   

Those who were affected are asked to get in touch with their local Human Services Department under the leadership of Judith Alpuche.

LOVEFM