…family of five returns home from hurricane-ravaged Bahamas
…gov’t pledges continued support to Guyanese, Bahamians

A GUYANESE family of five arrived in Guyana on Sunday night from the hurricane-ravaged Abaco Islands in The Bahamas.

The family touched down at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) around 21:30hrs and were warmly welcomed by Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix; Minster of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Karen Cummings; Minister State, Dawn Hastings-Williams; and Civil Defence Commission (CDC) Director-General, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig.

Returning to Guyana were 35-year-old Orin Grimmond and his wife 35-year-old Sholme Grimmond who came with their children, seven-year-old Seraphine, two-year-old Angeline and two-month-old Kemuel.

The returning Guyanese adults are both teachers who, with the help of the government and the private sector, will seek to reintegrate into their home-town, Lethem. They have been away from Guyana for seven years.

IT WAS TERRIFYING
Speaking with the media, Orin Grimmond said that it wasn’t easy during the violent storm which left his family no choice but to seek refuge on the roof of their home.

“The experience was horrifying; it was traumatizing to begin with. As husband and father, I looked at my family and there was nothing that I could have done to save my family,” he began.

“We were in the ceiling and the water was rising; it was terrifying because there was no way to escape this water. What we did was we kicked the door out and there was still no help; still no way I could save my family. The only thing I can say, and I can’t exclude God out of it, because it was a miracle that happened that day.”

The Grimmond family is Seventh-Day Adventist and firmly believe that it was God watching over their lives that saw them through the hurricane as their home was located exactly where the storm passed.

“It was indeed a miracle because we prayed and so many people here in Guyana were praying because they were watching the storm and there was no way that we could have gotten out of it alive without divine intervention. The island has been devastated by this [hurricane]. We could have been victims and so it really pains our hearts to know that there are people out there who died. There are parents out there who put their children in trees just to save them; it wasn’t easy,” Grimmond stated.

Following the hurricane, he stated that looting was island-wide as people scavenged for food to eat.
He added that the family does not plan to return to the Bahamas to work as it will be very difficult to re-live the experience.

However, they do plan to visit the islands in the future as they left family and friends behind.
Grimmond said: “It’s a wonderful experience coming back home. Why? Because there are so many people out here that are looking out for us that were there and we just can’t wait to meet all of them,” he said.

HERE TO HELP
On September 1, 2019 Hurricane Dorian struck The Bahamas, decimating Abaco Islands and severely devastating Grand Bahama, the northernmost island of the Bahamas, as well.
Since then, the Guyana Consulate in The Bahamas has been working feverishly to ensure that all Guyanese on the islands are accounted for and provided with the best possible care.

While the record shows that approximately 80 Guyanese families had registered as residents in Grand Bahama, the Guyana Consulate believes that it is likely that the number is greater.

Through a Whatsapp contact, more than 100 Guyanese living in The Bahamas have directly and indirectly reached out to the CDC for assistance.

As such, the CDC has joined its Regional partners through the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) to provide relief and support.
Minister Felix told the media that plans are in place to assist other Guyanese interested in returning to their country.

“We dealt with this first five; this family and we anticipate that there are others,” Felix said.
“We do not leave Guyanese in distress who are outside of Guyana; we do not do that. We showed up in 2017 and it continues now…I think there are about 28 persons who we understand would like to return but those arrangements have to be properly organised.”

Speaking on the sidelines, Director-General of the CDC, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig stated that some concerns have arisen whereby Guyanese wishing to return have lost all their national identification documents.

“The Department of Citizenship has committed to replacing those documents and they have all their information and contact information,” he said.

Meanwhile, it was last reported that Bahamian Education Ministry is doing its best to accommodate the affected Guyanese teachers at schools on other islands within The Bahamas.

The Grimmond family will initially be staying at the Marriott Hotel and will later travel to Lethem where they will settle down.

“The Marriott donated rooms and will also be providing meals for them. Trans Guyana will be transporting them free of cost to Lethem because they’re from Lethem…we worked closely with the private sector for their support and I must thank the private sector for the work they’ve been doing,” Craig stated.

Being the first Guyanese family affected by hurricane Dorian to return to Guyana, Grimmond was asked what gave his wife and him the courage to return home with the little they now have.

Smiling warmly in response, he said: “It’s my country after all. I know that despite where ever we go, Guyana will not refuse its citizens out there; it doesn’t matter what happens, our families are there for us.”