[StBernard] Scotia Prince Open To Residents With ID, and More

[Westley Annis]

Scotia Prince Open To Residents With ID, and More 

January 25 , 2006

By: Steve Cannizaro


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St. Bernard residents can now eat meals on the Scotia Prince cruise ship
with I.D. from parish government; list of missing persons now down to 17;
parish medical center closing at 5:30 p.m.


All St. Bernard Parish residents are now eligible to eat free meals on the 
Scotia Prince cruise ship docked in the Mississippi River at Violet, parish
officials said, but must obtain a parish resident identification card from
the Office of Homeland Security on the second-floor of the government
complex at 8201 West Judge Perez Drive in Chalmette.

Proof of residency must be provided to obtain the I.D. card from parish
government and the card must be displayed to gain entry to the ship, which
is secured as a federal base, meaning anyone entering is subject to posted
rules.

The Scotia Prince, which is accessible by going to the Violet Dock, 6400
East St. Bernard Highway, was provided in September by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency as a place for some parish employees and residents to live
while awaiting a FEMA trailer. About 800 people are living there.

Breakfast is served there from 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., lunch from 11:30 a.m. to
2 p.m. and dinner from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Casual dress is required.

St. Bernard Parish President Henry "Junior'' Rodriguez said his office has
been informed the ship will be forced to leave on Feb. 28 unless FEMA, which
is paying expenses, gives an extension.

Rodriguez said parish government is attempting to get a further extension
because people living there now have no other place to go. Rodriguez
requests that all parish residents try to help obtain an extension by
voicing their opinion by calling the Governor's office at 1-225-342-7015;
their Congressman, U.S. Rep. Charlie Melancon's office in Washington at
1-202-225-4031, and U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu's office at 1-202-224-5824
and U.S. Sen. David Vitter's office at 1-202-224-4623.


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The list of missing persons in St. Bernard Parish following the hurricane
has been reduced to 17, according to Don Banks, who has been handling the
recovery of bodies in the parish and the search for people reported missing.

Banks said an old list from the state contained more than 200 names but that
has steadily been reduced to 17 through investigations and searches at the
homes of people reported missing.

Banks said he encourages anyone who believes someone is missing to call him
at 1-727-687-7289.

He said 127 residents of St. Bernard died during or shortly after the
hurricane but no bodies have been recovered since the second week of
December.


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The St. Bernard Medical Center, a triple-wide trailer office located in the
southeast corner of the Hurricane Katrina disaster assistance center in the
Super Wal-Mart parking lot in Chalmette, has cutback its closing time by 30
minutes, now operating from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day of the week.

Free flu shots and immunizations are available there as well as other forms
of medical care.