Hurricane Joaquin devastated much of the outisland infrastructure and significantly uprooted the lives of many Bahamians but thanks to a local bank relief is on the way.
CIBC FirstCaribbean has purchased 25 refrigerators and 25 range stoves and donated them to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Repairs and Reconstruction Unit (NRRU) for their installation into 25 new government-built homes in the Southern Bahamas.
Following 3 months of discussion and planning, Captain Stephen Russell, Director of NEMA, and Melanie Roach, head of the NRRU, were ready in February 2016 to sign-up local contractors to begin the work on 25 new homes.
CIBC FirstCaribbean Managing Director, Marie Rodland-Allen said despite the bank not having branches on these out islands it was important to assist with the relief efforts.
“As a good corporate citizen, CIBC FirstCaribbean staff are encouraged to help when and where they feel it is needed. We don’t have a banking presence on Crooked Island, San Salvador or Long Island but our staff rose to the occasion and donated supplies to those most impacted by the hurricane last year but we had always intended to do even more.
This donation of appliances is taking it a step further of course and it came about during a brainstorming session with staff on how we could make the most impact to those hard hit by Hurricane Joaquin, “ Ms. Rodland-Allen said.
She added that the company sought out ways in which they could assist and ultimately led them to the head of the National Repairs and Reconstruction Unit.
“Our enquiries led to Melanie Roach, head of the NRRU, Ms. Roach advised that they needed 25 sets of fridges and stoves for the kitchens of 25 homes they were building on three of the Family Islands. CIBC FirstCaribbean, Bahamas, decided to purchase them as the bank’s donation to the Hurricane Joaquin effort.
“We felt that it was a very useful, meaningful and direct method of assistance for these in need,I’m looking forward to visiting some of the homes to see the installation in progress and to meet the families moving in, “ said Mrs. Rodland-Allen.
The new homes will house 25 families who lost theirs in Hurricane Joaquin in October 2015.
