Minister of Citizenship, Winston Felix, on Sunday night said that only three Guyanese families decided to return here from the hurricane-hit Bahamas.
According to a Ministry of the Presidency release yesterday, the Minister and a representative from the Civil Defence Commission (CDC) travelled to the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri to welcome home Cecil and Olive Simon.
The Simons were the third group of persons to return home after the island was ravaged by the Category Five hurricane. This brings the total to 12 persons who opted to return home, the release added.
Felix said initially, 28 persons had signalled an interest in returning; however, the majority have since decided to remain on the island chain.
“By the time we started to make arrangements, we were able to confirm that 12 really wanted to return…Others who are interested in coming may have to do so on their own steam because this marks the culminating point of Government’s intervention to return Guyanese home. It cannot be an open-ended arrangement,” he said.
On Sunday, September 22 Guyanese Vanessa Tate, her Bahamian husband, Stevie Cooper and their three children, Stevie Jr., age 5; Steven, age 3 and 3-month-old Steve arrived on a Caribbean Airlines flight. Orin and Sholme Grimmond and their children, Seraphine, age 7; Angeline, age 2 and two-month-old Kemuel arrived on Sunday, September 15.
Felix reiterated that the Guyanese survivors were given every opportunity to decide if they wanted to return.
“We … took time to ensure that the word got around to all the persons in distress and they were given an opportunity to decide whether or not they’re willing to return. Those who have returned are the ones [whom] we were sure were willing to be removed…The others apparently, have found some way to make out while the situation in The Bahamas is normalised,” he said.
The release said that the Simons, who were overjoyed to be back, thanked the Government for assisting them to get home.
“I think what is commendable is that the Guyana Government did really play its part irrespective of the criticisms and all of that, Government played its part. You have the Guyana Bahamas Association, everybody came together…it’s good to see Minister Felix and a member of the CDC. I think they played a very good role in making this possible. Without them, it would not have been possible,” Cecil Simon said.