Ongoing recovery efforts in the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) got a welcome boost following yesterday’s (Wednesday, 27 September 2017) aid mission to the hurricane-torn jurisdiction by officials from the Cayman Islands.

Devastated by Hurricanes Irma and Marie, the islands are getting back on their feet with the help of essential supplies like those delivered by the Cayman Islands first-time relief mission to Providenciales, the most populated of the islands.

Following earlier detailed post-hurricane damage assessment, ongoing dialogue between the TCI and Cayman Islands government agencies led to a detailed inventory being sent to CIG in the aftermath of the storms.

The most senior civil servants making the five-hour round-trip were Cabinet Secretary Samuel Rose and Hazard Management Cayman Islands Director Cayman Islands Director McCleary Frederick. They were accompanied by representatives from the Premier’s Office, the Deputy Premier’s Office, Radio Cayman and Government Information Services.

Taking a Cayman Airways chartered plane, the group transported seven generators, 50 packs of tarpaulin, 100 bundles of ice and watershield, inflatable mattresses, batteries, flashlights and toiletries. Health City Cayman Islands and the Health Service Authority both donated boxes of medical supplies.

During the delivery mission officials met with their TCI counterparts to discuss further ways of assisting the country’s post hurricane recovery efforts. TCI officials the group met included the islands’ Premier Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, Minister of Home Affairs, Transport and Communications Vaden Delroy Williams, Speaker of the House of Assembly Robert Hall and the Director of the Department of Disaster Management & Emergencies Dr. Virginia Clerveaux.

“The Cayman Islands Government communicated its wish to help strategically support its fellow British Overseas Territories that were in harm’s way this active hurricane season,” said Mr. Rose.

“This trip was about helping our neighbours in their time of need. We are only too aware of what havoc such storms can wreak. The TCI Government expressed its gratitude to the government and people of the Cayman Islands for their active support.”

“We discussed the ongoing recovery efforts mounted by the government, their additional needs and were informed that it had moved on from a response to recovery mode.”

At a post-mission press briefing at Owen Roberts Airport, Mr. Frederick advised that TCI was coping well considering the battering it had received from the two almost back-to-back hurricanes.

“The jurisdiction, which includes eight populated islands, has gone a long way in terms of general clean-up efforts and clearing debris from the roads,” he added.

“The islands’ electricity had recently been restored, schools were expected to reopen on Monday and while some hotels are now fully operational, most are expected to reopen by the end of the year.”

The senior officials added that high-level on-the-ground talks with their counterparts had indicated that TCI needed more technical support and had raised the possibility of seconding Mr. Frederick and Environmental Health Officers.

IMAGES:

Tciviii – Cabinet Secretary Samuel Rose meets with the Premier of Turks and Caico Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson.

Tcii – Life gets back to near normal as men play dominoes on the beach.

Tciii – Many structures still standing have had to be reroofed.

Tciv – This beachside building may have to be torn down.

Tcivi – Hazard Management staffer Simon Boxall helps identify supplies being given to the Turks and Caicos Islands by the Government and people of the Cayman Islands.