The Tribune

BY NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

MEMBERS of the Coconut Grove Business League (CGBL) are still taking their case against the Government to the Privy Council, its spokesman yesterday telling Tribune Business there was not doubt “the law is on our side”.

Ethric Bowe said the group, consisting of some 50 businesses, which has been lobbying for several years for an reversal of the road system that currently sees traffic go one-way northbound on Blue Hill Road, and one-way southbound on Market Street, had not given up the fight.

“We have paid our lawyer. We are awaiting a response from our lawyer and the Privy Council,” he said. “We are very optimistic that when it goes to court we will win. The law is on our side. There is no doubt about that.”

The League has long contended that the new traffic system adversely affected their businesses, with several companies in the area having closed down in recent years.

Mr Bowe estimated that the Government should have to pay out as much as $100 million to justly compensate those firms impacted.

The CGBL took its fight to court, and in December 2011 secured a victory in the Supreme Court against the Government over the road changes, only to see that decision overturned by the Court of Appeal.

“It’s going to be really significant. A lot of people will have to be sorted out. Once the word comes back about Blue Hills Road and Market Stree,t a lot of people will probably look to take similar action,” said Mr Bowe.

The Christie administration has sought to provide relief to businesses impacted by the New Providence Road Improvement Project. He revealed last year that the Ministry of Finance had processed 247 applications, and issued 236 Certificates of Relief.

With those certificates, 159 of the applicants were said to have accepted micro or government-guaranteed loans from the Bahamas Development Bank. Among the applicants, 184 enrolled in the plan were to receive assistance from the Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC); 217 duty breaks from Bahamas Customs; 215 Business License exemptions; 41 from the real property tax department; and 230 from the Bahamas Broadcasting Corporation.

The Government had also included in the compensation plan a 60-day deferment on Customs duties for a period of six months for businesses which bring in equipment or inventory for re-stocking, and the establishment of a Road Works Compensation Micro loan facility at the Bahamas Development Bank. The total size of the facility was $3 million, and the maximum size of any loan $10,000.