PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party Leader Philip “Brave” Davis says the Minnis administration’s shanty town eradication policy lacks resolution, sensitivity and coherence.  “Shanty towns must be eliminated but with resolutions and sensitivity,” he told The Tribune. ''The current process seems more about public relations, seeking to (confuse) the public with a lot of activity but no action. Resolution would be that they would have moved this morning to set aside the injunction. Sensitivity would mean that they had a plan in place to deal with displaced persons. The present plan lacks those characteristics. It’s the government’s methodology that is lacking. We support the objective and not the methodology.”

PROGRESSIVE Liberal Party Leader Philip “Brave” Davis says the Minnis administration’s shanty town eradication policy lacks resolution, sensitivity and coherence. 

“Shanty towns must be eliminated but with resolutions and sensitivity,” he told The Tribune.

''The current process seems more about public relations, seeking to (confuse) the public with a lot of activity but no action. Resolution would be that they would have moved this morning to set aside the injunction. Sensitivity would mean that they had a plan in place to deal with displaced persons. The present plan lacks those characteristics. It’s the government’s methodology that is lacking. We support the objective and not the methodology.”

 

While the concerns of the Vendors Association at Potters Cay is very important to the ministry, there are a few points we wish to bring clarity to, as expressed to ZNS News.

1. The Minister last met with vendors in July of 2017, at which time, they were informed of the government’s plans for the renovations at Potter’s Cay. Those plans have not changed in principle. However, any change to the plans will be communicated directly to the stakeholders affected.

2. The Ministry has, on multiple occasions, advised the vendors to not invest any significant funds in renovating their stalls on their own and, instead, to wait for the official commencement of the renovation program.

3. Senior staff of the Ministry of Agriculture & Marine Resources and the Potters Cay site manager are available to assist with any questions or concerns the vendors may have regarding the renovations. In fact, Ministry officials met within the last few weeks with the vendors at the Ministry’s head office just opposite Potter’s Cay.

The plans for Potter’s Cay are a matter of public record. Any changes to those plans will be made in the public domain using the appropriate avenues.

The Ministry of Agriculture & Marine Resources, thru the Minister or anyone appointed by him, have not made any statements contrary to what is already in the public domain.

The Ministry is hopeful that once the renovations are completed, the Bahamian public, our visitors and our vendors will all be proud of hard work that went in to reforming Potter’s Cay as a culturally important market and tourist attraction.

In visiting two seawalls in East Grand Bahama on Friday, April 13, Minister of Public Works the Hon. Desmond Bannister, while pleased with the seawall in Smith’s Point, was displeased with the work on the seawall in High Rock.

Before the Minister had a chance to inspect the High Rock seawall, students from the East End Primary School were on hand to welcome him with a song. Following this, the Minister gave the students words of encouragement, stating that readers are leaders.

Minister Bannister, along with members of the delegation then inspected the High Rock seawall.

“We came out here because what you see is a seawall that was improperly built. It has not given the people of Grand Bahama value for their money and you’ve seen where this was improperly done. The wall further down has actually separated, and there are a number of issues which ought never to have happened.

“We’re going to have to do some things to remedy this but we’re very concerned about the quality of work we get from contractors with respect to seawalls and other protective mechanisms for the people of Grand Bahama and the people of The Bahamas.”

It is important, the Minister noted, that people see what has happened with their tax dollars and the way it has been wasted with “shoddy work, shoddy workmanship, work that’s not going to last, and we have to ensure that this doesn’t happen again.”

Antonne Taylor, Engineer (Coastal/Structural), said that the shorelines need to be made more resilient to coastal hazards. To this end, he said, well-built coastal protection is needed, and the seawall in High Rock is an example of one done incorrectly.

“As a result, it’s suffered the various damages. Going forward, we have to make the necessary recommendations and works to ensure the proper functionality of the seawall.”

The seawall was built in 2004 and there is not yet a timeline for the repairs.

The Minister added, “It’s a good contrast to see the quality of work that you saw at Waugh Construction and how that can protect a community, and when you have something like here that’s not tied in properly, it’s not backfilled properly, it comes back to haunt you in a few years.”

With hurricane season fast approaching, concern was expressed by the Minister as to whether the seawall will protect or harm the residents.

Earlier on Friday, the delegation toured the seawall in Smith’s Point. Following that tour, the Minister expressed pleasure in the work. He said that in his tenure as Minister for almost one year, that project makes him “most proud.”

He said, “You’ll remember when I started as Minister of Public Works, this project was lagging. It was quite a bit behind time.” Having visited the island on a private visit, the Minister saw the condition of the seawall and said at the time he was not pleased.

The right decision was made, he said, when the former contractor was terminated and Waugh Construction was brought in. “They have shown extreme, outstanding professionalism in getting the job done. When you see something like this that is going to protect the community and you see what they’ve done here. The beach is coming back and so you’ll be able to walk on the beach. The amount of erosion that they had on this beach before, the sand is now coming back naturally because of the work that they’ve done.”

Minister Bannister said he was particularly proud that there were Bahamians doing the work.

Toni Hudson-Bannister, officer in charge of the Ministry of Works and Utilities in Grand Bahama said that the original project amount was $4.8 million and is expected to be completed in June, at the beginning of Hurricane season.

Minister Bannister, along with other staff from the Ministry of Works in Nassau, arrived in Grand Bahama on Thursday, when they toured a number of projects in West Grand Bahama.

WORK IN PROGRESS – The seawall in Smith’s Point is progressing, and expected to be completed around the beginning of the 2018 Hurricane Season. Workmen of Waugh’s Construction, the contracted company, are seen working while Minister of Public Works, the Hon. Desmond Bannister, toured the site on Friday, April 13. (BIS Photo/Lisa Davis)

EXPLAINING THE PROCESS – Minister of Public Works, the Hon. Desmond Bannister, toured the construction site of the Seawall in Smith’s Point on Friday, April 13. The Minister, along with other officials, are seen having the work explained by personnel of Waugh Construction Company. (BIS Photo/Lisa Davis)

HAVING A LOOK – While touring the construction site of the seawall in Smith’s Point on Friday, April 13, Minister of Public Works, the Hon. Desmond Bannister, along with other officials from the Ministry. (BIS Photo/Lisa Davis)

THAT WAY – Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Works, Iram Lewis, is seen talking with the Minister of Works, the Hon. Desmond Bannister, during a tour of the seawall at Smith’s Point on Friday, April 13. (BIS Photo/Lisa Davis)

NOT PLEASED – Minister of Public Works, the Hon. Desmond Bannister, was not pleased when seeing the damaged seawall in High Rock. Minister Bannister is seen with Parliamentary Secretary, Iram Lewis and Toni Hudson-Bannister, officer in charge of the Ministry of Public Works in Grand Bahama. (BIS Photo/Lisa Davis)

By:Robyn Adderley

During his Mid-Term Budget address, the Hon. Desmond Bannister, Minister of Public Works appealed to the public for its assistance in sending a “strong” message to utility companies through the use of its newly introduced Whatsapp line.

“The Ministry of Public Works now has a Whatsapp line. The number is 376-0936. I'm begging members of the public to save that number,” he said

“If you see a pothole, take a photo and whatsapp it to us.

If you see anyone cutting into the road and they cannot produce a permit, take a photo of them and the work that they are doing and whatsapp it to us.

If the road is not being restored in a timely or proper manner, take a photo and whatsapp it to us.

In each case be sure to tell us the location, and the burden will be on the Ministry to respond quickly. We have a job to do, and we have to take it seriously and get it done to the satisfaction of the Bahamian people.”

Minister Bannister said utility companies routinely excavate roads every day without permission, and do not reinstate them to an acceptable standard.

He has advised utility companies that it is the Ministry’s intention to amend the law under the Roads Act for unauthorized excavations and negligent reinstatements to $10,000. The fine is presently $75.

“Quite often, utilities are set on one side of the road. In order to provide service to homes on the other side, the utilities excavate, or in layman's terms, cut into the road. The law requires them to reinstate the road at their own expense.

Very often they are not responsible enough to reinstate the road, or do not do it in a timely manner, or do it poorly. In all of these cases the roads are weakened, and can be easily damaged further by ordinary traffic,” he said.

The Minister told Parliamentarians that a major challenge is that fact that New Providence has so many old roads and no tax base for raising money for road preservation and repair.

Hence, ten million dollars annually goes to paving roads, although not enough to scratch the surface of what is required for road paving and maintenance.

“The Ministry has three pothole patching crews. We ought to be able to respond quickly to do the job that the Bahamian people want us to do; and we have to appreciate that we will be judged by our efficiency in getting each job completed professionally.

I, therefore, implore members of the public at large to take those photos of potholes and to send them in. We are going to have to improve our standards so that we may no longer be criticized for mediocre service. Whilst we are short on vehicles, our staff have the requisite skills and the leadership to set a higher standard, and we shall do just that.

“Potholes can be caused by any number of factors. Sometimes there is caving below the road, which may cause the road to sink.

Sometimes we have heavy vehicles that cause damage from overuse. Sometimes water damage can cause them; but all too often utilities excavate the roads and do not reinstate them properly, leading to progressive weakening of the roads and the inevitable potholes,” he said.

Minister Bannister said nine companies under contract to repair potholes throughout New Providence, four of which are now on the job. They are:

1. Arrows Urban Development in St. Annes and Fox Hill

2. Ground Crew in Marathon, Nassau Village and SeaBreeze

3. Evans Paving in Carmichael, Southern Shores, Tall Pines and Garden Hills

4. Southern Trucking & Paving in Golden Gates, Bamboo Town, Pinewood and South Beach.

He said he expects the other five contractors will mobilize soon to serve the other areas of New Providence.

“If that does not happen quickly they may expect to be replaced. My Ministry expects the highest level of professionalism and efficiency from them in filling potholes promptly.

We will not compromise that standard,” said Minister Bannister.

Weekly meetings by the Ministry focus on road repairs and are conducted by Melanie Roach, director.

Representatives from the utility companies along with the Minister and director coordinate road paving initiatives.

By:Kathryn Campbell