Barbudans who are agitating and anxious to return to their homes are being cautioned not to do so without first seeking the relevant permission.
The island has been declared uninhabitable with 95 per cent being destroyed following the passage of Hurricane Irma a week ago.
Residents were evacuated to Antigua by the Government in accordance with the May 21, 1957 Emergency Powers Hurricane Earthquake Fire and Floods Act.
That order still remains in effect, and it has not been revealed when it will be lifted to allow Barbudans to travel freely to and from the island.
Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin said persons who make their way back to Barbuda without permission can be fined or jailed.
“I want to put all persons on notice that once the evacuation order remains in force you are not to go back to Codrington, except by permission.
“If you do so the order makes special provision . . . any person who contravenes this order by word or by deed commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $3,000 or to imprisonment to a term not exceeding six months,” he told the Parliament.
The Legal Affairs Minister said, however, that the government nonetheless is encouraging persons to go back to Barbuda to protect their property “as they see fit, but do so under the strict compliance and guidance of the police, because the police are there now, they will be there then together with the military to safeguard people’s property whilst they are not there.”
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What utter nonsense is this Cutie Benjamin?!!! Thousands were evecuated from the Florida Quays and Florida mainland and by Monday they were streaming back to pick up the peices, assess the siutation and secure their properties. And we in this backwater Third World country going to fine and jail Barbudans who want to go back and rebuild their lives??? Are they being held hostage in Antigua against their will? Again, all I see is bungling of this disaster by this incompetent government.
Some people don’t think before they talk. Go live in the states a first world country
Not sure what news you following but I recall persons being prevented from returning to the said keys. It was only within the past 24 hours that the ok was given for persons to return and access damages (see http://www.miamiherald.com/news/weather/hurricane/article173701381.html )
“Keys residents plead with officers to let them through the police check point at mile marker 73 on Wednesday, September 13, 2017. Police threatened the Keys residents with arrest and their cars towed if they would not leave the area by 7:45 p.m. Police said they were acting on orders by Governor Rick Scott. On Saturday morning, Monroe County announced that all Monroe County residents will be able to return to the Keys Sunday. This includes those who live in severely hard-hit areas of the Lower Keys between Key West and Marathon”
There are two other storms brewing in the Atlantic , safety comes first any how you look at it plus the island should be fumigated first before it can be re-inhabited for mosquitoes and airborne diseases
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