NASSAU, Bahamas – The Bahamas government will host a week-long national memorial with various activities to honor the victims of Hurricane Dorian that hit the archipelago on September 1, 2019, as a Category 5 hurricane killing at least 74 people and leaving many others missing and presumed dead.
Aerial view of the damage caused by Hurricane Dorian in 2019. (Photo credit: UNICEF/UN0343788/Moreno Gonzalez)Government press secretary, Clint Watson, said that the activities will begin next month and will be held on Abaco and Grand Bahama, the two islands directly affected by the storm as well as New Providence.
“It will be a week of activities which we will be announcing very soon as to how we will go through the week of memorializing those involved in Hurricane Dorian so listen out to that,” Watson told reporters during a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).
“There will be events here in New Providence, Abaco and Grand Bahama,” he said, adding that plans are continuing for a national memorial concert to be held at Baha Mar featuring local talent as well as famous American gospel singer, Cece Winans, who will be headlining the event.
“The New Providence concert, which is being sponsored by the private sector, will take place on Thursday September 1. A concert will also take place in Abaco on Saturday, September 3 with Grand Bahama’s being held the following day,” the OPM said, adding the concerts will be free.
Other memorial activities planned include social outreach events and a weather symposium on Abaco, which will be hosted by media personalities and Bishop Silbert Mills.
“The celebrations will be the first government recognized memorial since the passage of Dorian. We highlight the opposition’s support for these national events for what will be a nonpartisan and unifying effort,” OPM said.
According to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Hurricane Dorian caused an estimated US $3.4 billion in damages, which is equal to one-quarter of The Bahamas’ gross domestic product (GDP).
