Grenada tourism update
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada: On Tuesday, Brenda
Hood, Minister of Tourism, gave the following statement and update regarding
Hurricane Ivan’s effects on Grenada as the country begins to rebuild:
"To our family and friends throughout the
world - - the people of Grenada greatly appreciate all of the support we have
been receiving from a regional and international level. As you have heard, the
effects of Hurricane Ivan have taken an overwhelming toll on the people of
Grenada. Each day we continue to assess the damage and destruction left by
this horrific storm. But, while the hurricane may have destroyed our homes,
public buildings and resorts, it has not flattened our spirit. The soul of
Grenada remains undamaged. We recognize it will take considerable time and
effort to fully recover and rebuild. While it will be an arduous process, I
have no doubt that our beautiful island will be restored to its former glory.
As the rebuilding process unfolds I pledge to keep you informed of our
progress." The following update reflects all
confirmed information the Grenada Board of Tourism’s public relations
representatives have received regarding infrastructure, airlines, seaports,
resort regions and hotel status: Overall
Assessment: According to the most recent
report issued by the National Emergency Relief Organization (NERO) on
September 18th, water supply has been 80 percent restored in the parish of St
George, 75 percent in the parish of St. Patrick and between 25 – 30 percent in
the parishes of St. John, St. David, St. Mark and St. David. Electricity has
been fully restored to St. George’s.
Telephone service has also been restored to
sections of the parish of St George, but remains down in most of the country.
Internal communications remain a major challenge. There is limited
communication between the Emergency Operation Centre and its teams in the
field, between the airport and seaport, and communication with the public.
All the major roads in Grenada are again
open to traffic. Banks and shops are now open as well.
From a security standpoint, a dusk to dawn
curfew remains in effect and is enforced by soldiers of the Regional Security
System of the Caribbean.
Airport/Airlines:
Point Salines International Airport is open for daily operations to both
regional and international flights between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m., until further notice. BWIA is offering flights from New York and Miami
via its Trinidad hub while Air Jamaica has resumed all flights via its Montego
Bay hub and its Tuesday, Friday and Sunday non-stop service from JFK/New York.
LIAT is operating four daily scheduled flights to Grenada.
Cruise: All cruise lines have been
diverted to other destinations, for the time being. There has been some damage
to the ports, but not significant.
Hotels:
Bel Air Plantation sustained very minimal damage. The resort plans to reopen
in mid-October or early November.
Blue Horizons Garden Resort expects to
reopen within four months. The resort experienced water and roof damage, but
no structural damage.
Calabash Hotel will remain closed until
October 30th. The resort had already been closed for the remodeling of the
Pool Suites during the storm and suffered minimal damage.
Flamboyant Hotel will reopen on December
20th with 36 rooms of the 61 units. The one and two bedroom apartments will be
available in the spring of 2005.
LaSource sustained no major structural
damage with only minimal damage to the roof. The resort is currently closed
for visiting guests. 30 rooms remain open for emergency personnel.
Rex Grenadian will remain closed until
mid-December. The resort reports damage to roofs, public areas and some guest
rooms.
Spice Island Beach Resort will be closed for
one year. The resort lost approximately 90 percent of its roofs as well as the
main facilities including its restaurants, lounge, spa and watersports. All
back of house areas were also compromised.
Relief Efforts: Grenada is in dire
need of food, water, building supplies and monetary donations. The Grenada
Embassy and Grenadian Consulates have established a relief fund to serve these
needs. For more information, please visit the “How to Help” section at
www.grenadaemergency.com For the most up
to date information regarding the status of Grenada following the destruction
left by Hurricane Ivan, please visit
www.grenadaemergency.com, the official website of the Grenada Embassy and
Grenadian Consulates, in conjunction with the Grenada Board of Tourism's US
Representatives.
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