Barbuda Construction slows down

The rebuilding effort in Barbuda has slowed down because of lack of cement and stone on the island.
Philmore Mullin, director of the National Office of Disaster Services (NODS), made the disclosure yesterday to OBSERVER media.
Stressing that current shortage of materials is one of the major issues hampering the Barbuda rebuilding efforts, Mullin pointed out that a shipment of cement was expected to arrive in the twin island state over the past weekend.
He added that from recent experiences, cement is usually sold out very quickly.
Mullin further explained that transporting construction materials to Barbuda could be delayed because the barges that are used cannot carry shipments when the seas are too rough.
Earlier, a local contractor had informed OBSERVER media that the reconstruction project has slowed down because of a lack of cement and stone on the island.
The contractor, who is involved in the reconstruction programme, highlighted that the Barbuda project could have reached further if there was a constant supply of adequate materials.
The contractor added that NODS and the government have worked diligently in his opinion but the lack of supplies is a problem which needs to be addressed urgently.
He further stated that the hurricane season begins in a few days and it is now a very critical time for efforts to be speeded up.