Pointe ordered to stop work that closed road

Thu, Jun 24th 2021, 03:14 PM

DEPUTY Prime Minister and Minister of Works Desmond Bannister said yesterday his ministry ordered staff at The Pointe to stop the work that resulted in the closure of Dorchester Street.

“Only the Minister of Public Works may lawfully close a road,” he told The Tribune. “The works on Dorchester Street were not authorised by the Ministry of Public Works. Accordingly, yesterday the ministry ordered that the said works be immediately stopped and the road reinstated.”
#Workers installed steel poles on Dorchester Street earlier this week, blocking access to traffic. However, by yesterday afternoon the poles had been removed.
#The $250 million Pointe project is nearing completion. The project includes 141 ocean view condo units, a 155-room hotel, a 40-slip marina, a parking garage, a water park and other amenities, including a spa, restaurants and movie theatres.
#The Pointe is no stranger to controversy. Last year, Labour Minister Dion Folks said the government was “very disappointed” over the disproportionate ratio of Bahamians to non-Bahamians who were employed at the development at the time.
#He said: “I think the percentages are around 30-70 in favour of non-Bahamians. It is supposed to be the exact opposite. We have been in talks with management at The Pointe. Their explanation is they have some 22 Bahamian subcontractors working at The Pointe and they are including those employees as part of the Bahamian component.
#“We are sitting down with them, we are talking to them. We did a survey as early as last week. It is not something that we are pleased with.
#“Their figures conflict with our figures and it is something we are trying to work out. Their argument is that depending on where you come and depending on what the project is the Bahamian component is much higher. For example they are doing their swimming pools right now.”
#Attempts to reach officials at The Pointe for comment yesterday were unsuccessful.

“Only the Minister of Public Works may lawfully close a road,” he told The Tribune. “The works on Dorchester Street were not authorised by the Ministry of Public Works. Accordingly, yesterday the ministry ordered that the said works be immediately stopped and the road reinstated.”

Workers installed steel poles on Dorchester Street earlier this week, blocking access to traffic. However, by yesterday afternoon the poles had been removed.

The $250 million Pointe project is nearing completion. The project includes 141 ocean view condo units, a 155-room hotel, a 40-slip marina, a parking garage, a water park and other amenities, including a spa, restaurants and movie theatres.

The Pointe is no stranger to controversy. Last year, Labour Minister Dion Folks said the government was “very disappointed” over the disproportionate ratio of Bahamians to non-Bahamians who were employed at the development at the time.

He said: “I think the percentages are around 30-70 in favour of non-Bahamians. It is supposed to be the exact opposite. We have been in talks with management at The Pointe. Their explanation is they have some 22 Bahamian subcontractors working at The Pointe and they are including those employees as part of the Bahamian component.

“We are sitting down with them, we are talking to them. We did a survey as early as last week. It is not something that we are pleased with.

“Their figures conflict with our figures and it is something we are trying to work out. Their argument is that depending on where you come and depending on what the project is the Bahamian component is much higher. For example they are doing their swimming pools right now.”

Attempts to reach officials at The Pointe for comment yesterday were unsuccessful.

 

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