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Climate
Change and Disaster Preparedness Main Area of Concerns for
The Bahamas at CHOGM |
November 30,
2007: NASSAU, The Bahamas --- Climate change and
disaster preparedness were the main issues discussed at the
Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting that directly
affects small island states like The Bahamas, Prime Minister
the Rt. Hon. Hubert Ingraham said.
“We must now give greater focus to disaster preparedness,
the ability of ourselves across communities to have access
to basic essential things like water and/or electrical power
in the event of a major disaster.
“We live in a low lying set of islands,” Prime Minister
Ingraham said. “We have to give major attention to a major
city like Nassau in the event of a hurricane coming from the
south and flood waters rising perhaps as far north as
Carmichael Road and Soldier Road.” |
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At a press
conference on November 28, 2007, upon his return from the
CHOGM in Uganda, Prime Minister Ingraham said there has to
be “safe places” where persons can flee to during a major
disaster.
He added that plans also have to be implemented to ensure
communities in the Family Islands are not cut off and
isolated.
He noted Phillip Weech, a Bahamian serving at the Climate
Change Secretariat in Germany, is returning and will be
involved and engaged in The Bahamas’ preparation for climate
change and enhanced environmental thrust.
Prime Minister Ingraham said Mr. Weech will also be
attending the United Nations Climate Change conference in
Bali, Indonesia, beginning December 3, and Minister of
Public Works and Transport the Hon. Earl Deveaux will be
representing the government at the conference.
He said The Bahamas must give consideration to a new energy
policy in The Bahamas and find ways to augment power supply
by using alternate sources of energy.
“The cost of energy is very high for many persons today,” he
said.
“We have to also have low voltage electrical bulbs available
and government incentives to encourage people to be able to
afford alternate appliances, so that they end up using less
electricity. So, conservation has to be a major part of the
exercise.”
Prime Minister Ingraham said during the meeting they elected
a new Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma from India to
replace Don McKinnon from New Zealand, who served two
consecutive four-year terms.
During CHOGM there were also the usual discussions on
democracy and its strengthening and the mutual exchanges
between heads of government of Commonwealth Countries.
While on a stop in London, Prime Minister Ingraham said he
met with one of the parties interested in purchasing the
Grand Bahama Port Authority, which is currently in
receivership.
Prime Minister Ingraham said he met with them to discuss the
purchase and the development plan that they will have should
they be successful.
“We are hopeful that the Grand Bahama Port Authority’s
dispute, which was a result of them going into
receivership,” he said, “will be resolved soon and that one
of the two major interested parties will purchase it and
return Freeport to the path of economic development that is
so badly needed in that city.”
Prime Minister Ingraham also noted that the present High
Commissioner in London Basil O’Brien, who will be returning
home at the end of this year, will be replaced with former
Commissioner of Police Paul Farquharson, who is currently on
pre-retirement.
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