CARICOM Heads of Government Meet over Hurricane Disaster

September 15, 2004

It is announced for public information that Prime Minister the Right Honourable Perry G. Christie has dispatched the Foreign Minister to attend an emergency meeting of the Heads of Government of Caribbean Community nations in Trinidad, called to discuss the effects of Hurricanes Frances and Ivan on the region. 

“I have sent the Honourable Fred Mitchell to represent me in order to begin to tell internationally the story of The Bahamas and the ravages of Hurricane Frances here” said the Prime Minister.  “While for obvious reasons I, myself, am not able to attend it is important that the region and the outside world understand that though we have been seriously affected, the tourism plant in New Providence and elsewhere in our country remains fully functional with the partial exception of Grand Bahama Island.” 

In addition to establishing the National Emergency Management Agency, the Prime Minister has maintained overall superintendence of the recovery and reconstruction effort in the wake of Hurricane Francis, leading tours of the most affected islands with teams in tow for the professional assessment of damages from the disaster. 

Minister Mitchell left Cabinet directly for the airport and is expected to arrive in Trinidad Tuesday evening for the CARICOM Heads meeting scheduled for Wednesday, 15^th September.  “This emergency meeting is all about Frances and Ivan” said the Minister “and while we in The Bahamas share the concern of the region for Grenada, Jamaica and the other sister islands affected by these storms, it is my mission to tell the story of The Bahamas.” 

Minister Mitchell is expected to return to The Bahamas following private, unrelated meetings in the United States.