Turks and Caicos receives US $6.3 M in hurricane relief

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos-FOLLOWING extensive devastation caused by Hurricane Ike, US $6.3 million from the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF) has been allocated for relief in the territory, which has declared a state of emergency in both Grand Turk and South Caicos.

According to a Caribbean360.com report on the damage, “The 130 mile per hour winds of Hurricane Ike…battered the country just a week after Tropical Storm Hanna drenched it with heavy rains, damaged about 85 per cent of homes in Grand Turk and also severely impacted Salt Cay and South Caicos.”

With such thorough destruction, the government of Turks & Caicos quickly appealed to the CCRIF for assistance in assessing and alleviating the public’s need.

“The work of assessing needs and meeting priority requirements in such areas as water, shelter and food is already underway. We trust that today's declaration will give it added impetus and that it will be possible to lift the state of emergency at the earliest possible moment,” said a statement from Premier Michael Misick.
 
Simon Young, the CEO of Caribbean Risk Managers Limited—the parent company of the CCRIF, said that he hopes the funds will expedite the repair process.

“I was able to speak to a senior official in the Ministry of Finance who described the high level of devastation from Ike. The people of the Turks and Caicos have our support and we hope that this payout will assist the country in making a swift recovery.”

Turks & Caicos is expected to receive the full US $6.3M within the next two weeks and is expected to greatly speed the recovery of crucial social services such as the medical, communication and emergency sectors.

In the meantime, Bermuda and Great Britain have both sent teams to assess the damage and assist those who may be injured.