Former Prime Ministers Perry Christie and Hubert Ingraham said the passage of Hurricane Dorian has taught the government a lesson.

The lesson they said is the question of shelter and what buildings are appropriate for shelters.

Mr. Ingraham noted that the Church of God in Cooper’s Town is a building capable of holding persons in times of natural disasters, but buildings like that aren’t throughout the island.

“They have a church that’s called the Church of God.  It’s a humongous church and it’s very big. If you look at it, you would say, ‘When do they expect to ever full this church?’ It’s very big,” Mr. Ingraham said.  

“However, it is very safe. It’s on a hill and it served as a shelter. The government gave them a generator, etcetera and the entire community, wanted to, went there, etcetera. 

“We didn’t have that same kind of facility in the Dundas and Murphy Town area. They didn’t have that same kind of facility in East Grand Bahama.”  

Many designated shelters in both Grand Bahama and Abaco were not able to sustain the wrath brought by Hurricane Dorian, which resulted in persons fleeing those shelters for a safe haven.

Mr. Christie made mention of an Abaconian, Pastor Silbert Mills, who thanked Mr. Ingraham for constructing the Government Complex which served as a shelter for many residents during the storm.

“Clearly, the way forward for the government of The Bahamas is to know as a archipelagic nation, that in each island there must be shelters that will conform with the highest standards based on the experience of Abaco and Grand Bahama,” Mr. Christie said.  

Both former prime ministers said shelters should be in places where persons can be safe.