Grand Bahama Minister, Dr. Michael Darville yesterday thanked everyone who gave their time and efforts during and after the passing of super storm Hurricane Sandy.

Sandy lashed Grand Bahamas on Thursday, October 25, leaving behind downed power lines, flooding, coastal erosion and road damage, begging the need for immediate repair and restoration efforts.

In an effort to ensure that residents received the urgent attention, teams of individuals from the Department of Social Services, Urban Renewal and the Police and Defence Forces were assembled and worked tirelessly during and in the aftermath of the storm.

In no particular order, Minister Darville yesterday thanked all those who assisted in restoration efforts, namely Alexander Williams, administrator of Freeport; Brenda Colebrooke, dministrator for West Grand Bahama; Sherrick Ellis, administrator for East Grand Bahama; Geraldine Pinder, the National Emergency Management Agency’s (NEMA) team, Michelle Reckley and the staff of Urban Renewal; Assistant Commissioner of Police, Emerick Seymour and The Royal Bahamas Police Force; Lieutenant Burn Wright and The Royal Bahamas Defence Force; Lillian Quant Forbes and the staff of The Department of Social Services and Mary Culmer and the staff of The Grand Bahama Red Cross Society.

He also thanked Sarah McDonald and the staff of The Grand Bahama Power Company; Ian Rolle and the staff of The Grand Bahama Port Authority; Geron Turnquest and the staff of The Grand Bahama Utility Company; Ricardo Lightbourne and the staff of ZNS Northern Services; and Pastor Sidney McIntosh and The Grand Bahama Christian Council.

The Hutchison Whampoa Group of Companies, The Ministry of Health, The Public Hospital’s Authority (PHA), The Department of Meteorology, The Salvation Army, The Cancer Society, The Rotary Club, Sanitation Services, Bahamas Information Services (BIS) Melvin Seymour and the staff of The Ministry for Grand Bahama, other local government practitioners throughout Grand Bahama and various church groups and other private citizens also received special recognition.

“The passage of Hurricane Sandy has revealed a number of important issues that the government, in collaboration with its private partners, must address in order to ensure the safety of Grand Bahamians in the years ahead,” the minister said.

“Be assured that this government has Grand Bahama as a priority. Hence, we have appointed a steering committee to outline and address many of these pressing matters moving forward.”