Department of Labour officials are expected to compile a list of evacuees in hopes of making it easier for hurricane victims to access their unemployment benefits.

“All persons who qualified who are in Nassau, either living in the shelters or with friends and family, we’re putting a procedure in place beginning today where they can get a fast processing of their unemployment benefit.” 

“That will be a relief for a lot of the persons who are here in Nassau, we are also doing the same thing in Grand Bahama and in Abaco,” Minister of Labour Dion Foulkes said yesterday.  

As for employment for displaced residents, Mr. Foulkes said the department is looking to stabilize as many families that it can as quickly as possible.

“We’re looking at a special initiative with the minister of public services. It’s something that we are going to discuss this morning in Cabinet.  I do not want to preempt Cabinet’s decision, but an announcement will be coming forward very shortly with respect to immediate employment opportunities for those effected on both islands,” the minister of labour said.    

This is all in hopes of cushioning the blow Hurricane Dorian is expected to have on the country’s unemployment rate, which just recently recorded a decrease.