Leader of Government Business Hon Kurt Tibbetts stops to talk during his assessment of Post-Paloma conditions.

Despite the destruction caused by Hurricane Paloma, the majority of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman residents have stayed to help rebuild.

Many families transported children and the elderly to Grand Cayman on free Cayman Airways evacuation flights. But most able-bodied adults returned to rebuild, according to the Brac Command Centre.

Cayman Net News correspondent Carlton Lyons said although the island’s housing stock was devastated by the storm, the community pulled together to find a solution.

“Most people have found shelter with friends and relatives,” Mr Lyons said.

By Tuesday, 11 November, residents were seen using tarpaulins to effect temporary cover to damaged roofs.

Mr Lyons said many people remained in shelters, making repairs to their homes by day and returning at night.

There are two fully operational shelters on Cayman Brac – the Aston Rutty Centre and the nearby day care centre. A third, the Seaman’s Centre, was badly damaged but is still housing residents.

Leader of Government Business Hon Kurt Tibbetts updated Cayman Net News on measures to alleviate accommodation problems.

“Some of Government’s temporary trailer homes are en route to the Brac, and we hope to have those set up swiftly,” he said.

Mr Tibbetts said the trailers would be used to house displaced residents and accommodate emergency crews.

Some relief workers would return to Grand Cayman each night on extra flights provided by Cayman Airways, he added.

Mr Tibbetts said offers to help rebuild were made by construction companies on Grand Cayman, but sourcing materials and workers’ accommodation remained problematic.

Meanwhile, he said, the restoration of utilities was moving swiftly.

“Just three days after Paloma, electricity and water have been restored to some areas of Cayman Brac,” Mr Tibbetts said.

He said some buildings housing essential services were already powered by Tuesday morning.

With regard to individual residences, Mr Tibbetts said some houses could not be powered right away due to extensive damage – “hence the continued need for generators”, he said.

“We have sourced a number of generators that have been distributed. We know there is a need for more and we are getting those as quickly as we can. More are going over today on the plane. A larger amount will be sent in a day or two. Once we get those, people will be better off,” Mr Tibbetts said.

Caribbean Utilities Company crews were on-island Tuesday, as were materials and equipment for the power restoration. In the meantime, Cayman Brac Power & Light crews were working tirelessly to plant new poles.

Jonathon Tibbetts, the Brac power company’s General Manager, said, “We are making phenomenal progress.”

“We’ve done a five-mile stretch already since the storm, and it is unheard of anywhere in the world for restoration to happen so quickly,” he said.

All the more impressive, he said, was the fact that the company’s entire transmission and distribution system had been destroyed.

“We have full capacity right now. All of our engines are ready to generate. The transmission and distribution is the biggest part of the problem. We are looking at four to six weeks to have power throughout the entire island.

“Not so much due to power company delays but because houses are not able to accept power. Every house, literally, is damaged and some are destroyed completely. Many homes will not be able to receive power for months to come,” he said.

Mr Tibbetts said essential services, such as grocery stores, the hospital, fire services, and police stations should be reconnected within 24 hours to “give residents some level of comfort.”

Piped-water service was also being restored on Tuesday.

Dr Gelia Frederick Van Genderen, Director of the Water Authority, said, “We have inspected all of the distribution system and piped water should be flowing. We are still delivering water by truck and have set up a tanker again at Spot Bay to give away water in containers.

She said the authority had 14-days’ worth of water stored, and she was hoping to get the island’s desalination plant running to produce more and avoid relying on reserves.

Now that utilities were being restored, Mr Lyons said more people were returning to their homes from shelters.

The Leader of Government Business said relief and restoration efforts were moving along well.
Mr Tibbetts said relief workers were “working steadfastly and doing all they can do help.”

“The supplies are rolling in,” he said. “The Thompson Shipping barges are on their way with a tremendous amount of relief supplies on them.”

He said mobile distribution of relief supplies would begin on Tuesday with the assistance of Red Cross volunteers.

“While it’s a tough situation on Little Cayman and Cayman Brac – they have had their Ivan experience – things are happening as quickly as possible,” Mr Tibbetts said.

“It’s hard to believe it’s only been three days since the storm, and a lot has been accomplished in that short time. Given all the challenges we’ve had, things have gone better than we ever thought they could have,” he said.

Mr Tibbetts also recognised the need for the assistance of the private sector in the rebuilding effort.
“There has been a tremendous outpouring of assistance from the private sector and we hope this will continue as it has been a great help,” he said. “It certainly has lifted people’s spirits. We will need this help for the reconstruction of the Sister Islands and we are confident that people will continue to rise to the occasion.”

By Tina Trumbach
tina@caymannetnews.com