Residents lament food shortage; Vanterpool says food flowing

While the government has disclosed that the territory’s food relief supply is ‘flowing’, reports coming in from residents are that there is hardly any food getting to many who are in desperate need of it.

“We getting things organized; food is flowing, we have lots of food in stock, lots more coming in, lots of water coming in; we have a lot in stock already,” Communication Minister, Mark Vanterpool told BVI News Online yesterday.

However, one person who spoke to our news team this morning stated that many persons are desperate for food and are virtually suffering.

“We are desperate here. All (that) you hearing about relief supplies and people getting relief, that is not true; people here suffering,” one man who is a Jamaican native said.

Since Friday, long lines have been seen outside Bobby’s Supermarket in Road Town as persons brave the rains, and even the threat of a Tropical Storm Watch (now discontinued) to purchase food.

“We hearing that there are lots of food, but that doesn’t seem to be the case,” another person said.

Bobby’s Supermarket is said to be the only supermarket in the territory that has not fallen prey to looters.

There has been reports of widespread looting throughout the territory since Hurricane Irma struck the island on September 6, causing mass destruction of properties and killing five people.