AntiguaNewsletter J_001 From Nick Maley, Island Arts & AntiguaToday.com
Dear friends
It's a shame that it has taken another hurricane in Antigua to force me to find time to revive the AntiguaNewsletter... but it has. I'll tell you more of what I've been doing over the next few weeks as I'm updating you on our recovery from hurricane Jose. If you would like to be removed from the mailing list please reply to AntiguaNewsRemove@AntiguaToday.com and I will do my best to find and remove your email address from the list which is pretty long and boring reading.
For now I'm dashing off this quick note to let you all know that Antigua has survived the passing of hurricane Jose and we are OK. I'll be posting photos on our hurricane hotline today to prove it. I've posted initial reports there (at http://AntiguaToday.com/hurricanes) already. You'll find my personal diary of the storm and an initial damage report. The reports will expand over the next few days and tomorrow I will start shooting detailed photos as I did after hurricane Georges last year.
The storm was MUCH worse than we anticipated but DAMAGE IS SUPERFICIAL and only two hotels will be closing for a short while. The rest are up and running NOW!
There are reports of two deaths but only one was confirmed by the hospital.
IF YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW WE CAN SPREAD THE WORD THAT ANTIGUA IS OK (AND THEREBY SPEEDING OUR ECONOMIC RECOVERY) PLEASE ADVISE ME. IF YOU WANT YOU CAN HELP PUT ANTIGUA BACK ON IT'S FEET BY WRITING TO THE PAPERS IN YOUR AREA ADVISING THEM THAT WE ARE FINE AND POINTING THEM TO HOTLINE AT http://AntiguaToday.com/hurricanes AND THE NEWSLETTER AT http://AntiguaToday.com/newsletter
These hurricanes are SO draining.... physically and emotionally. It seems like every year our lives are turned upside down, but somehow we summon up the strength to clean up and start again and although it is exhausting, it usually only takes a couple of weeks (and a lot of cash) to bounce back. In the thirty hours since we got our phone back I have posted the reports cleaned up a lot of the mess and been in touch with The Times in London, USA Today and The Washington Post. If you see any BAD reports about Antigua let me know.... and write to tell them they got it wrong. Newspapers seem to think that the only good news is bad news.
Anyway..... today THE SUN IS SHINING AGAIN! We'll dry out in no time!
Thanks for your support and interest in this little piece of paradise we call home.
more soon
Nick Maley
