The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is still trying to account for nearly $20 million that came in during the relief efforts following Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne more than seven years ago, according to NEMA Director Captain Stephen Russell.
Russell, who is overseeing the relief efforts for Hurricane Irene, said the process this time around is much different than it was when Frances and Jeanne hit The Bahamas in 2004.
“We’re trying to avoid opening the floodgates with just everyone grabbing what they want without some sort of order to it,” he said in an interview with The Nassau Guardian.
“I can quote back to 2004 and 2005 where we are trying to account for almost $20 million that came into NEMA and we cannot match the paperwork together,” Russell said.
“That’s why we’re doing this as we go along. Every check that we pay out, there must be matching invoices. We cannot be rushed into some things because there’s wastage and people abuse the system. We simply have to evaluate and see how the funds are going.”
He said when he came to office in 2008, he met the accounts in a state of disarray.
