Many building projects on New Providence are at a standstill because of a limited supply of cement resulting from a delay in scheduled shipments caused by Hurricane Charley.
The hurricane skirted past the Bahamas week before last, but left a path of destruction in Florida, with damage totalling many billions of dollars.
While the Bahamas was spared the ravages of the storm, for many local contractors Charley continues to cause economic losses.
Some contractors and cement suppliers said Wednesday that the low supply of cement is creating a tremendous problem for them.
ﾓWe have a limited amount of cement, only enough to run the block plant and soon that supply wonﾴt be enough to supply the demand of the customers,ﾒ said Charles Albury, CEO of JBR Building Supplies Limited. ﾓAs a result of the shipping delays large sales of cement have ceased.ﾒ
Proprietor of McPheeﾴs Block and Supplies, Paul McPhee, said he has also suffered from the shipping delays and had to close his business for three days.
ﾓThings are really bad now,ﾒ Mr. McPhee said. ﾓEvery day contractors and people building are looking for cement, but I am completely out. I called the supplier but they did not indicate to me when cement will be in.ﾒ
Another contractor, Sheila Young, co-owner of Bahama Isles Ltd., told the Bahama Journal that she had to lay off 10 of her workers because there was no cement for them to carry out their work.
Hundreds of other people employed in the construction industry are also being adversely impacted by the shortage of cement. Construction activity is a key economic indicator so any slowdown could have an adverse ripple impact on the overall economy.
But industry workers are hoping that the problem is solved soon. They may have a few more days to wait for that solution.
Trade and Industry Minister Leslie Miller told The Bahama Journal a new supply of cement should be on the island by the weekend.
ﾓThe shortage should subside by Monday,ﾒ said Minister Miller, who added that an unlimited supply of cement should reach the island by September 3.
Cement supplies are currently scheduled to be shipped from Mexico, South America and The United States.
Any continued shortage could also have an adverse impact on the largest construction project now underway on Paradise Island. The billion-dollar expansion of the Atlantis Resort continues to show progress, according to officials there.
Kerzner International, which operates the property, has been running a number of advertisements in local newspapers inviting bids from local contractors and vendors of various services, including construction of a ﾠfacility to house potentially hundreds of construction workers and the building of a fire station on Paradise Island.
Kerzner is also inviting bids for the clearing and grubbing of the site where the expanded resort will be built.
Bianca Symonette, The Bahama Journal
