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Drainage for Pinewood Gardens would cost $13m

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Khaalis Rolle

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

A NEW drainage system at Pinewood Gardens to combat severe flooding in the area could cost the government up to $13 million, according to constituency MP Khaalis Rolle.

But given the country’s current financial situation, Mr Rolle told The Tribune the government has to find the most cost-efficient solution to the problem.

He is expected to present several proposals to Cabinet when they meet today.

“We’ve gotten the proposal,” Mr Rolle said, “and we have looked at a computer-generated model of the area, but based on how Pinewood is situated, which is in a

valley, there will be some implications which would affect other areas around Pinewood.

“But at this point we think that there is a tremendous opportunity to fix this issue and to create a township in the south.

“The first ball park estimate is around $10 million to $13 million and there have been a number of proposals submitted. A decision is dependent upon Cabinet’s approval.

“Obviously there are budgetary constraints because this is something very, very expensive but we have made significant progress on this matter which is more progress than was previously made.”

Back in July, Prime Minister Perry Christie announced that his administration was exploring options to improve the conditions at Pinewood Gardens.

At the time he said that consultants who analysed Pinewood were preparing to submit to the government a specific set of recommendations.

“We’ve had people look at it microscopically,” Mr Christie said, “And in my discussions with them, we feel that we are onto something very real.”

In May, officials at the Ministry of Works said that the entire drainage system would have to be done away with in order to alleviate the flooding.

Engineers explained that the drains did not function effectively in situations of heavy rainfall. In Pinewood there are more than 80 drainage wells with depths between 150 and 200 ft, however, the area’s geographic characteristics made the wells inefficient.

Comments

ThisIsOurs 11 years, 1 month ago

Hope we're not giving the contract to the original developers to (fix the problem they created). They should be subsidizing this effort

ThisIsOurs 11 years, 1 month ago

That reparation money is for me and Junkanoo in October, Banker said I can use his share too.

proudloudandfnm 11 years, 1 month ago

Man I hope this is more than just BS PLP talk. Pinewood needs relief, rain shouldn't make people cringe in fear...

shortpants 11 years, 1 month ago

And while they fixing the drain why not fix our roofs and all the cracks in these houses that Frankie Wilson and the Sunshine boys along with the PLP Goverment approved for the Bahamas that don't worth the monies we are paying for ..Snake them give us a bad and sour deal with those homes.The type of climate that we have those homes should never have been built here .These so call people never give a shit about Bahamian people most of us whom brought them needed a home, back than .The ones that they built in Lizzy ,Yellow Elder,and rest they could only fit sardines.The PLP homies always trying to find a way to rob the poor and rob they did.....We really need some Real Robin Hoods steal from the rich and take care of poor .Khaalis Rolle before 2017 please send the people whom were working to keep Pinewood parks clean regular please get them back to work .Pinewood is beginning to look like your Government sloppy, untidy, filthy and unkempt .We have a couple of passive parks that have been clean once since this petty Government took office don't apologize for nasty.

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