As sultry island getaways go, Grenada is hard to beat. It feels like the sort of exclusive tropical paradise usually reserved for the very rich. But behind the idyll, the reality is far from serene in the wake of Hurricane Ivan. It was just over five months ago now that Grenada was pummelled by Ivan’s 133 mile-an-hour winds. Nearly every building lost its roof, and now, at the height of the island’s tourist season, most of its hotels are simply too badly damaged to receive visitors – leaving the beaches virtually deserted. The numbers killed in the hurricane itself were relatively small, compared with the tsunami in South East Asia. But the survivors are still struggling to piece together their lives. At the Coyaba Beach Resort, visitors used to lounge at its ‘swim-up’ bar, or amble down to the sea for snorkelling, sailing or diving. Now the drained pool is strewn with debris, and the only evidence of holiday-makers left in the bare rooms is a damp copy of the Daily Mirror dated 6 September – the day before Ivan struck. Of course, on a sunny day, the blue tarpaulins on many of the buildings are not immediately apparent. And the fact that many are still without electricity or telephones is invisible. Beyond the tourist resorts It is not just tourist businesses who are struggling to cope. Nearly every one of the 102,000 islanders was touched by the storm, which damaged 90% of the buildings on the island and killed 39 people. Zilla Lorainey farms seven acres in the north west of the island, most of which is covered by a tangled mass of fallen tree trunks. Christian Aid, through its local partner, Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC), is providing chainsaws and a small stipend for out-of-work farmhands to clear the land. Once the debris has been cleared, short crops like vegetables and seasoning peppers can be planted to bring in some income. Bananas, too, although, these take nine months to bear fruit. For many months to come, farmers will have to rely on help from relatives abroad and charities. ‘We still don’t have electricity,’ says Ms Lorainey. ‘The lines were blown down in the storm, and up here, they haven’t been able to fix them yet. ‘We have no television or lights; it’s like going back to the old days.’ Economy in crisis Before the hurricane, Grenada was one of the fastest-growing economies in the Caribbean, predicted to grow by nearly 5% in 2004. Following the hurricane, economists now expect the economy to contract. In Florida, USA, the hurricane damage was extensive, but many more people were insured and government relief was swift and wide-ranging. By contrast, in the village of Florida, northern Grenada, rebuilding will take months if not years. Back to school The local school, St John’s Christian Secondary, lost its roof and many classes are still being held in tents. The typing lab was completely destroyed and what computers the school had are useless because electricity supplies have not been restored. Christian Aid is supporting a hot meal programme at lunchtime, again through CPDC, so that the neediest children get at least one nutritious meal per day. CPDC is also organising supplementary classes, as the school was closed completely for the month following the hurricane. ‘We are a strong people,’ said Lordnell Wellington, the acting principle of the school. ‘We survived natural disasters before this one. The best way to maintain our sanity is to keep going and do the best we can until we have the means to restore the damage.’ Reprinted from alertnet.org Source: christianaid.org.uk/news