The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

BRANVILLE McCartney, DNA leader, yesterday criticised the Christie administration for its handling of shanty towns at New Providence, which so far has not resulted in a prosecution.

Mr McCartney, a former State Immigration Minister under the previous 2007 FNM government, urged officials to outline a strategic legal process of eliminating the illegal residential areas. Such a plan, he told reporters has been absent since the government undertook the task.

Mr McCartney insisted that the government could not conduct business as usual in dealing with the matter that has grown over the years. While it is not clear how many shanty towns exist, officials have said there are dozens throughout New Providence.

He was speaking during a press conference held at Halsbury Chambers where the DNA announced its new Interim Chairman, businessman Andrew Wilson. He was elected three days ago after the post was left vacant by former DNA candidate Mark Humes.

Mr McCartney said: “Since June, we’ve seen nothing. I would like to see them outline a strategic legal process of eliminating shanty towns in this country.

“We (also) have the Minister of Immigration saying that this shanty town problem is more complex than you think. But is that because there are elites in this country who are protecting those persons in the shanty towns? We could only come to one conclusion of who those elites are. They must have some connection with the governing party.

“But we don’t want just talk, that’s what this government is good for. (Their plan) sounds good, but it’s just talk.”

On Tuesday, Environment Minister Kenred Dorsett admitted that little had been done. He said his ministry had no authority to demolish any structures that were not up to the code. He said the buck stopped at prosecution for officials at the Environment Ministry.

With that, Mr McCartney explained the government needed to take seriously a holistic approach that would rid the country of the dozens of shanty towns.

“You cannot just deal with one area. You have to deal with the full gamut in a humane way.

“When I was involved with the Immigration Department we had a committee with all the different departments (including) environment, health care, social services, the Defence Force, Immigration, the police, Ministry of Works and education was there too.

“We outlined the process to work on the elimination of the shanty towns and it was a concerted effort of all the departments.

“Now this government had one department speak about it. It cannot be business as usual in relation to these shanty towns,” he said.