Prime Minister Godwin Friday characterized the recovery of Union Island as a priority that has progressed “too slow” following what he described as “complete” devastation by hurricane Beryl.
Friday speaking on Hot97 said he believes the recovery process is most effective when people physically return to the community. He argues that being present allows residents to identify and fix what is wrong, while also ensuring that assistance money is spent locally to support Union Island businesses.
The Prime Minister criticized the prior ULP administration’s focus on domestic recovery to the “exclusion of the businesses”.
Friday contends that both must be addressed simultaneously so that when people return, they have jobs and a functioning economy to sustain them.
He noted that while the devastation was severe, the electricity generation plant was not destroyed, and roads were cleared within the first couple of months. He believes that once these basic services were available, the government should have moved faster to reunite the community.
Friday highlighted the “limbo” faced by residents currently living in rental premises on the mainland, noting they face pressure from landlords to leave, a lack of jobs, and inconsistent food or rental assistance.
“My immediate goal is to transition these individuals back to their own communities”.
Friday mentioned that some developers and private entities were active in the recovery, but he believes the government “sat back” rather than accelerating the process. He cited an example in Ashton where private efforts were moving forward, but the government’s corresponding work in Clifton lagged behind due to a slow response.
Moving forward, Friday intends to seek ways to get people back to the island even if they do not yet have permanent residences, as they are currently in a similar state of temporary housing on the mainland.
He also emphasized the need for better insurance facilities and regional cooperation to handle the increasing threat of natural disasters due to global warming.