From Caribbean News Service

Movie actor Robert De Niro has also pledged to make a significant contribution to the rebuilding efforts of Barbuda.

This was revealed by Government’s Chief of Staff Lionel “Max” Hurst in his minutes of Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting.

De Niro and Australian billionaire investor James Packer plan to build a US $250 million resort project on Barbuda.

Hurst said two experts dispatched by the Hollywood actor and investor in the Paradise Found project told Cabinet that one of the power generators remaining on Barbuda is still in good shape.

The men, along with an electricity engineer from the Antigua Public Utilities Authority visited the island and inspected APUA’s power and reverse osmosis plants.

Hurst said it has been determined by the experts that although the power lines have been destroyed, the planting of new poles should begin immediately.

“All except five lampposts have been blown over, almost all snapped by the powerful winds of Irma. The transformers have virtually all been destroyed, and there is a need to start all over, in order to restore electricity to the entire island,” he said.

Both men have also said that damage to the reverse osmosis plant system is not as extensive as “they would have expected”.

They have concluded that a standby power plant, a pump and new storage tanks could provide potable water to the island.

However, resupplying Codrington with pipe-borne water can only take place after all the leaks, to and in homes, have been plugged.

For more on this story go to: https://caribbeannewsservice.com/now/barbuda-robert-deniro-pledges-significant-contribution-to-rebuilding-effort/