Refuting claims that provisions made at the Kendal Isaacs gym were not conducive for residents of Jubilee Gardens, Social Services Minister Melanie Griffin says all of the individuals taken in since Sunday evening have been adequately taken care of.

The comments came following a public lashing by Leader of Opposition Business Loretta Butler Turner.

“They had to evacuate because of the fire,” she said.

“And what the government offers them? The government put them in play pen down to the gym. That’s what they look like to me. No privacy. Why aren’t there hotel rooms or some type of apartments being made available to Bahamians? ”

Minister Griffin responded to Mrs. Butler-Turner’s comments suggesting that she was being disingenuous.

“The same programs that are in place now as were when the member was in ministry. Same procedures nothing changed. During times of crisis shelters are there and people are to understand that the shelter is not their homes, it is not a hotel, it is provided to make sure they have a roof over their head,” she said.

“It might sound funny to say it is a playpen but it was an effort to provide just a little privacy for the families that were in there.”

Mrs. Griffin said persons staying at the shelter were only doing so after having exhausted all uses of hotels or motels.

“Right now there are over 39 small hotels and motel rooms that are housing persons from Jubilee Gardens that amounts to 154 persons,” she said.

“There are many of them who are residing with family members and I want to thank the family members for that.”

The shelter at the gym was activated sometime around 6pm Sunday following the evacuation order that has yet to be lifted.