The Tribune

By CELESTE NIXON Tribune Staff Reporter cnixon@tribunemedia.net ONE week is not a practical amount of time for businesses to collect information and documentation to assess the damage caused by the road improvement project, according to a Coconut Grove Business League representative. While the recent announcement of the road works repayment scheme by Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham is encouraging, Ethric Bowe said that given the wide diversity of businesses negatively impacted by the New Providence Road Improvement Project (NPRIP) he believes it will take much longer to assess the losses. "It's interesting and a welcome change in tone," said Mr Bowe. "We welcome any positive change and will co-operate with the government." However, practically speaking Mr Bowe said he does not believe it will be enough time for each business to accomplish the "forensic accounting" to accurately evaluate the damage caused by the road works. He noted that many businesses, particularly small ones, may not have kept proper records that can be put together or accessed in a short period of time. On Monday, Prime Minister Ingraham revealed that the government will go door-to-door asking those affected by the ongoing road works to detail their losses ahead of a massive repayment scheme. Speaking to FNM supporters, Mr Ingraham said through this initiative, the government will compile information, including the businesses' expenses, revenue, profits, accounts receivables and payables during the period 2007 to 2011. Ministry of Finance employees will visit the businesses throughout New Providence on roads where major roadwork is being done and their connecting side streets, to hand out the surveys. Mr Ingraham said the surveying is expected to last two weeks. The business owners then have one week to complete the surveys, and gather supporting documents, before the Ministry collects them. Mr Bowe suggested in the interim as a "sign of good faith" the government should convert Market Street and Baillou Road back to how they were, to assist businesses and the general public. CGBL, which was originally made up of 50 businesses in the Baillou Hill Road and Market Street area, has now merged with business owners on Prince Charles Drive, bringing the number to more than 100. The group claims to have suffered massive financial consequences after the government converted Baillou Hill Road and Market Street into one-way thoroughfares and began the New Providence Road Improvement Project (NPRIP). Businesses were cut off from their customers during the works, sometimes for months at a time. Earlier this month Mr Bowe claimed he was given assurances by PLP leader Perry Christie that business owners would be compensated if the party is re-elected. He said this promise is the main reason the league has not moved forward with its legal case against the government. Mr Bowe said: "We are waiting until after elections to continue our case. We originally won and then the government won their appeal on a technicality." They were also told by the DNA, Mr Bowe said, that their problems would go away if they are elected He said: "Elements in the DNA are picking up the effort to take this matter to the Inter American Development Bank (IDB). The IDB has protocols for carrying out these projects and the impact on commerce. "So the way we have been damaged the lawyers believe if we take it to the IDB they will get the government to go forward and release the money." Last July, the Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the government, six months after the CGBL was awarded damages by Supreme Court Justice Neville Adderley. When asked if the CGBL had moved forward with filing a complaint with IDB, Mr Bowe said the matter was still to be dealt with by attorneys, however he believed people would prefer to settle out of court. "If it can be settled out of court, I believe that most people will want to settle," said Mr Bowe. However, moving forward Mr Bowe said it would be beneficial, in future cases of this the kind, for the matter to go before the court to clarify the law and make the government understand that they do not have the right to damage a person's property or business without proper compensation.