The Tribune

STORE owners who suffered or had to close down because of the government road works scheme were promised their financial problems "will go away" if the PLP wins the next election, it was claimed yesterday. The losses incurred by businesses over the past two years - a combined total in the tens of millions of dollars, according to Coconut Grove Business League representative Ethic Bowe - will be paid back in full if the government changes hands, CGBL members said. The league, which was originally made up of 50 businesses in the Baillou Hill Road and Market Street area, has now merged with business owners on Prince Charles Drive, bringing the number to more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. Mr Bowe claims 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. "We intend to file a civil suit but we are waiting for elections to be done with. Mr Christie told us our problems will go away if the PLP wins and the DNA has told us the same. Do not get me wrong, this is not about politics. It is not political, we just want what we are due." Rupert Roberts, owner of Super Value, said he was called into a meeting with a "leader of a top political party" and told to wait six weeks and his problems would be no more. "He called me and said he knows me and he knows what we have been going through for the past two years. He said he knows I am frustrated, but not to let them upset me. "He said 'The ballot box is six weeks away and in the next six weeks you might not have to deal with that.' I thought, well that's a pretty good idea, wait a few weeks and see if they will do what the prime minister is insinuating he will do but we have no faith he will do anything," Mr Roberts said. "Personally, I think we should put the case on hold. We are going to wait until after the elections. We may be going into a new government and the government may say 'you do not have to go to court, we know we owe you'." Mr Bowe said they were also told by the DNA 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. On Monday, Prime Minister Ingraham revealed in the House of Assembly that the government would compensate business owners affected by the road works. However, he did not specify what the compensation would be.