By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
OLYMPIAN Ramon Miller said there is still much more work to be done with the infrastructure and development of Olympia Heights, despite the fast-approaching deadline for completion.
When the $1.2m contract was signed in February, it stated that the works would be completed in 250 days, according to the Olympic gold medalist.
Mr Miller and his family live on 20,000 square ft of land at Olympia Heights, which is in Tropical Gardens. He had previously exclusively told this newspaper of his struggles with having no electricity for years and having to use a generator so that they could live comfortably, however, he is still currently facing this issue.
“I have all the essentials, but that’s just running on a big diesel generator, and it is becoming costly,” he told this newspaper yesterday.
Given the current gas prices, the Olympian said on average he spends about $35 to $40 a day on diesel and it has become burdensome.
“The prices of fuel have skyrocketed, and it’s put a bit of strain on myself, but all I could do is try to be as patient as possible,” Mr Miller said yesterday.
He said while he is grateful to the government for starting the process, they have faced a lot of “technical issues”. “I thought it was going to be simple - you put the road, the water, and so on and so forth, but it doesn’t seem as easy as I said. It started, but the work is going much slower than I anticipated,” he said.
When asked to explain the challenges faced by the contract workers, he said: “It’s been some boundary issues. I guess person’s homes are built in the road. The road is supposed to be a certain length and width and I guess due to the process being hindered so long I don’t know if persons were aware of the road boundaries and that’s one of the obstacles they are facing.”
According to Mr Miller, infrastructure development has been at a halt for the past six weeks.
He remains hopeful that the matter will be resolved soon.
“I just hope everything is done in the appropriate time, I’ve been waiting this long. So, 250 days isn’t long compared to how long I have been waiting. I am pretty sure the minister of works and his team will get this subdivision sorted out, not just for myself, but all the athletes,” he said.
When asked by The Tribune, if his neighbours are experiencing similar challenges he said: “I have a few neighbours down the hill. They have electricity and I need infrastructure so that’s a little depressing because I could look right down the hill and see persons with lights.”
He is thankful to the Minister of Works for intervening, but he is looking forward to its completion.
Comments
gumbolimbo 1 year, 8 months ago
Mr. Miller, please stop your whinging and moaning. It appears you've bought into your own myth and are drinking your own kool-aid of self importance. Take a trip to Abaco and you'll see some real hardship that lingers from the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian. Many Abaconians still live in cars, domes or with family and friends because they lost EVERYTHING! Those who do have remnants of a home have been working to rebuild them for almost 3 years. Abaconians deal with dirt floors, boarded windows and leaking roofs as well as lack of water and electricity in many areas. All of this coupled with oppressive heat, rising costs of fuel and building materials as well as food scarcity certainly creates a daunting and overwhelming way of life for the people of Abaco.
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