Haitian evacuees at Bahamas Academy Gym alleged that they are receiving poor treatment at the shelter.

The Bahama Journal spoke to a few Haitians on Wednesday about the conditions at the shelter.

Benson, 26-year-old Marsh Harbour resident, claimed that the conditions are deficient.

“The food is not good. I barely eat their food. I only eat the fruits,” he said.

“I ain’t use to this. This ain’t my type of lifestyle. Can’t complain, you get life. I watched plenty of my friends and family perish in the hurricane.

“The government ain’t put a hand in this. All these are just sponsors and donations. We see the people. We see the people who sponsor these things right there and talk to us.

“Sometimes I call one or two friends. They come and drop something to eat or give me couple dollars where I could walk across the road to Bamboo Shack.      

“One other day, one company named Med Hope put Wi-Fi for us. It’s not the best. It’s slow, but at least we get it and one next white lady sponsor must be five microwaves. These things the government should be doing.

 “The governor general’s wife been here the other day. She just gave every child a teddy bear and ain’t talk to no one.”     

Benson’s friend, 31-year-old Peter and family, which include his wife and three children, were also in the same shelter. 

Peter is from Freeport, but moved to Abaco. 

“We don’t really have a good treatment in there.  They really treating us bad,” Peter claimed. 

“We in the worst shelter on the island, no TV, no A/C. If it raining, everybody got to move their bed cause the rain coming through the window and actually we just lying on the ground with one mattress, that’s it.

“I feel like Bahamians got more say. That’s their country, but what happen in Abaco they make it sound like only Haitians were living in Abaco.  Abaco was filled with other nationals, not only Haitians were living in Abaco.”  

Bernard Forbes, a Bahamian evacuee in the shelter, admitted his dislike for Haitians.

“They do me wrong things. Last night I put my money inside my backpack – they gone. I know it only could be the Haitians that thief my money,” Forbes said. 

The Bahama Journal tried to contact the shelter’s administrator, but was unsuccessful up to press time.