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HON. BRENDA HOOD GIVES STATEMENT St. George’s, Grenada, September 21, 2004 - - Today, the Honorable Brenda Hood, Minister of Tourism, gave the below statement and update egarding Hurricane Ivan’s effects on Grenada as the country begins to rebuild: "To our family and friends throughout the world - - the people of Grenada greatly appreciate all of the support we have been receiving from a regional and international level. As you have heard, the effects of Hurricane Ivan have taken an overwhelming toll on the people of Grenada. Each day we continue to assess the damage and destruction left by this horrific storm. But, while the hurricane may have destroyed our homes, public buildings and resorts, it has not flattened our spirit. The soul of Grenada remains undamaged. We recognize it will take considerable time and effort to fully recover and rebuild. While it will be an arduous process, I have no doubt that our beautiful island will be restored to its former glory. As the rebuilding process unfolds I pledge to keep you informed of our progress." The following update reflects all confirmed information the Grenada Board of Tourism’s public relations representatives have received regarding infrastructure, airlines, seaports, resort regions and hotel status: Overall Assessment: According to the most recent report issued by the National Emergency Relief Organization (NERO) on September 18th, water supply has been 80 percent restored in the parish of St George, 75 percent in the parish of St. Patrick and between 25 - 30 percent in the parishes of St. John, St. David, St. Mark and St. David. Electricity has been fully restored to St. George’s. Telephone service has also been restored to sections of the parish of St George, but remains down in most of the country. Internal communications remains a major challenge. There is limited communication between the Emergency Operation Centre and its teams in the field, between the airport and seaport, and communication with the public. All the major roads in Grenada are again open to traffic. Banks and shops are now open as well. From a security standpoint, a dusk to dawn curfew remains in effect and is enforced by soldiers of the Regional Security System of the Caribbean. Airport/Airlines: Point Salines International Airport is open for daily operations to both regional and international flights between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., until further notice. BWIA is offering flights from New York and Miami via its Trinidad hub while Air Jamaica has resumed all flights via its Montego Bay hub and its Tuesday, Friday and Sunday non-stop service from JFK/New York. LIAT is operating four daily scheduled flights to Grenada. Cruise: All cruise lines have been diverted to other destinations, for the time being. There has been some damage to the ports, but not significant. Hotels: Bel Air Plantation sustained very minimal damage. The resort plans to reopen in mid-October or early November. Blue Horizons Garden Resort expects to reopen within four months. The resort experienced water and roof damage, but no structural damage. Calabash Hotel will remain closed until October 30th. The resort had already been closed for the remodeling of the Pool Suites during the storm and suffered minimal damage. Flamboyant Hotel will reopen on December 20th with 36 rooms of the 61 units. The one and two bedroom apartments will be available in the spring of 2005. LaSource sustained no major structural damage with only minimal damage to the roof. The resort is currently closed for visiting guests. 30 rooms remain open for emergency personnel. Rex Grenadian will remain closed until mid-December. The resort reports damage to roofs, public areas and some guest rooms. Spice Island Beach Resort will be closed for one year. The resort lost approximately 90 percent of its roofs as well as the main facilities including its restaurants, lounge, spa and watersports. All back of house areas were also compromised. Relief Efforts: Grenada is in dire need of food, water, building supplies and monetary donations. The Grenada Embassy and Grenadian Consulates have established a relief fund to serve these needs. For more information, please visit the "How to Help" section at www.grenadaemergency.com. For the most up to date information regarding the status of Grenada following the destruction left by Hurricane Ivan, please visit www.grenadaemergency.com, the official website of the Grenada Embassy and Grenadian Consulates, in conjunction with the Grenada Board of Tourism's US Representatives. |
