Anxious to assess the condition of their homes, Acklins residents returned to the storm stricken settlements, Salina Point and Lovely Bay last Friday.
Residents boarded their flight from the Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA) after evacuating to New Providence prior to Hurricane Irma’s arrival.
Uncertain of the state of her home, Salina Point resident Alicia Romer, shared her sentiments with The Bahama Journal.
“What are we going home to?” Ms. Romer said. “According to the information coming from Salina Point, Acklins where I’m from, the settlement is nowhere for anybody to be at this time, especially for children.”
Ms. Romer has a seven-year-old son who did not accompany her travelling back to Acklins.
“I’m not going to take him back until I assess my damage,” she said. “I’m not going to take him to get sick until they get Salina Point back on track.”
Ms. Romer further expanded on conditions she may meet once she returns.
“It’s filthy, and coffins are coming out of the graves. There are dead dogs, dead goats and cesspits opening up to the public,” she explained.
“Where in the heavens are we supposed to be go?”
Ms. Romer added that she had to travel back because she operates her business from her house.
However, she is aware of the roof damage her house sustained.
“A piece of the roof in the back came off. I can’t live there,” she said.
Although not ecstatic about travelling back home to face the realities of wreckage wrought by Hurricane Irma, she expressed her gratitude toward the government’s unprecedented decision to evacuate persons from the southeastern islands and ensured accommodations were provided for persons needing shelter.
Ms. Romer said, “First of all, I want to say thanks to everybody who donated items like, food, clothes and the shelter on Blake Road. I want to say thanks to them because they made sure the persons who were there, were fed and had a place to sleep.”
Forty-three-year-old Lovely Bay, Acklins resident, Clarence Oneil Williams also travelled back to his home last Friday.
Travelling with his three sons, Mr. Williams encountered unexpected challenges at the LPIA airport.
“It’s been a little frustrating getting back because they telling you one thing to come, and when you reach here your name is not on the list and that is really frustrating to me,” Mr. Williams said.
“You don’t need that kind of stress right now after going through all of this with the hurricane. I didn’t want to come, but I realized it was best and I just want to hurry up and get back to see what’s going on.”
Although Mr. Williams admitted he knew he some minor damage, he was still concerned about his home.
“Knowing the size of the storm, I just want to get back to see what’s going on and that’s my biggest fear,” he said.
