Hurricane Irma Aftermath Takes Huge Toll On People & Places In The BVIs
By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Travel Blogger
In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, the people in the Virgin Islands are quite literally picking up the pieces from the devastation that has hammered the islands.
The owner of Myett’s at Cane Garden Bay, one of the most popular bars (with a hotel) in the British Virgin Islands, isn’t sure if things will ever be the same again in the BVIs. Here is a full interview with Val Rhymer of Myett’s.
By fortunate circumstance, she was not at Myett’s during when Irma hit the the islands.
Q.) How damaged is Myett’s?
A.) I don’t really know for sure. There have been no evaluations done. I’ve only seen the pictures.
Look at my Facebook page Myett’s Cane Garden Bay. The entire island is devastated. I’ve also lost my two homes due to the magnitude of destruction this hurricane caused. I have reached out to get emergency supplies to my husband and his family and employees and their families who many of them are also homeless.
I have set up a relief fund www.gofundme.com/myetts-green-team-hurricane-relief – and I am also raising funds to buy airline tickets for them so they can get out of there. Many employees are from other islands in the Caribbean that were not affected. They have children that have been traumatized and all the schools are severely damaged.
Q.) How long will take to start to get back to normal?
A.) I don’t know for sure but from the looks of things it will never be back to normal. It’s all unclear at the moment.
Q.) How many people does Myett’s employ (seasonal and full-time)?
A.) We have 62 employees. We also have another business that got damage on the other side of the island.
Q.) What is the damage like on the rest of the islands?
A.) The news I’ve gotten from government officials via Facebook is 85% of structures are damaged.
Q.). How many people were able to evacuate the BVIs?
A.) I don’t know, but not many. The communications are very sketchy. They have no power, and very limited wifi. If I would have been there I would not have evacuated. Most people who live on islands just prepare. This was a Cat 5 record-breaking storm. No one expected it would be so bad.
Q.) Have you ever evacuated before?
A.) No, and I’ve been through many (hurricanes).
Q.) When/why did you decide to evacuate and head to Florida this time?
A.) I didn’t evacuate. I was here to celebrate my Mother’s 80th birthday. I came up on the 16th and I was planning to leave on the 11th.
Q.) Where were you in Florida when Irma hit? Did you get a lot of damage?
A.) I was at my daughters home in Dade City (east of Tampa and south of Orlando) with the rest of my family. We are all fine. There’s very little damage here for us.
Q.) How have you kept up on what’s been happening in Tortola? How did it feel fist seeing the footage of the destruction?
A.) Watching the news. I’ve have one call from my husband and some of my employees have been able to use What’s App to me to keep me updated when they get wifi. There is limited wifi in certain areas of the island but it comes and goes.
I am heartbroken and saddened but thank God that they survived. They are all very shaken and some as they have immensely traumatic situation. They feared for life.
Q.) How does it feel to see Florida get attention while most of the Caribbean is ignored?
A.) Not good. I am doing everything I can to bring exposure. I am reaching out to all our customers and friends. We have more than 5,000 Facebook friends and they are sharing the news and donating to our relief fund.
Q.) You are raising money through crowdfunding. Where will it go first?
A.) To send needed urgent supplies. I am sending a container via Tropical shipping in Miami. And, also to buy airline tickets for those who need to leave and do not have the means. I am asking for concerned people to adapt a child and fund a ticket.
Q.) How long have you lived in the BVIs?
A.) I was employed by The Moorings, the worlds largest yacht chartering company, in 1982. Their cooperate office is in Clearwater, Florida and they have a base in Tortola. I went back and forth for 10 years working at both locations. I was a yacht sales representative.
I fell in love with the BVI’s the first time I went there. I moved there in 1992 and opened our business, Myett’s which is a small hotel, restaurant, gift shop & spa.
This is not negative; it’s comments from the owners of the bar. PubClub does appreciate your passion. Cheers,
Mr. Lysander……Unless you know this as first hand knowledge, it’s not very nice to post this sort of bull shit for all the world to see from rumors that you have heard. You should know that no matter how hard people try to help in a devastating situation like this, there will always be someone who feels left out or feels like not enough was done for them personally. So, they complain to everyone who is willing to listen and the bad rumors get started. I have known Val, Kareem and Sandman for years having visited and lived in Tortola. They have always been very generous and they deserve all the success that has come their way. When you start with nothing and then build a successful enterprise to be proud of, there will always be jealous people and nay-sayers. You should be ashamed for adding to this negative B.S.
Thanks; hopefully Myett’s WILL return to its great past. It’s open now!
Merely wanna tell that this is handy, Thanks for taking your time to write this.
“Raising funds”. Val and Kareem have a lot of money from their houses, bar and restaurant and shop, also their place at the Pier Park for all the cruise shippers and weekend parties. Instead of using some of their profits to help staff, they set up a gofundme page. They raised quite a lot and I can tell you that people in Cane Garden Bay say that they gave the staff a minimal amount each and kept the rest for themselves. Exactly the same situation with Peter Island. Raised a lot of money, manager and wife got most of it ) Why would Peter Island, owned by the Amway Corp. need to raise money for staff. You wouldn’t believe the corruption here of these gofundme pages. Everyone here knows….. I live in Cane Garden Bay or I did but our house got the full force of 30′ storm surge so now I am up on Mount Sage.
Val,
We have been there at the end of November for the past 7 years and we were scheduled to come this year. We would still come and help in the rebuild effort if there is any where to stay. Let us know.
Also, how are Cheryl and Kimmie?
Greg and Nancy Wyers
We have visited you in Cane several times. You have always been so welcoming to us in such a wonderful place you have built. We want to help you rebuild.
Planning to drop the hook in CGB in the coming months to work with you and provide a place for more visiting workers to stay. Donating and Bringing tools. Hang in there.
The Peake Family would like to help. We have daughters the same age. The girls played together years ago. We are here in Melbourne Beach, Fl.. I am leaving my email. The school here wants to do collections and I know many here that adore Tortola and Myett”s.
This is so sad, Myett’s was my favorite place ever to go visit, and was planning a return visit to stay at myett’s,you are in my thoughts and prayers I will donate what I can to help.
Val & Kareem,
My heart goes out to you, your staff and and families and fellow islanders. We are holding some benefits here in Milwaukee (us, Blues Disciples, Jim Liban etc..) to get aid to you and will try and make sure people don’t forget that our friends and neighbors in the Virgin Islands need our help.
Rev
The times I played your place with Hudson are among my favorite memories of 20+ years of touring in the VI. Breaks my heart to see this. So glad you all survived; Best to Kareem Sandman…and your family, of course.
Val,you and Kareem know how much we love you all let us now how your whole family is doing .our hearts break for what has happened and want to help in all ways that we can.love mom and dad.