The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

A TOP consultant in the Office of the Prime Minister has said delays at the Office of the Surveyor General have been “unconscionable,” telling The Tribune the acting Surveyor General Thomas Ferguson “doesn’t show up to work”.

Critics have been up-in-arms over the time it takes the surveyor general to record survey plans, which are critical for establishing title in The Bahamas and other uses. The critics include staff of the Surveyor General’s Office who voice their frustration to people they meet and The Bahamas Lands & Surveys Association which has asked Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis to remove Mr Ferguson from his post and fill the substantive position with someone else.

BALS president Emile Ledee says that under Mr Ferguson, it often takes between six months to one year to record surveys when the process should not take longer than a month.

Mr Ferguson has not responded to the criticism. His secretary told The Tribune this week he cannot speak without permission from the permanent secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister. When contacted, Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe, parliamentary secretary in the OPM with responsibility for the Department of Lands and Surveys, said the “criticisms are not falling on deaf ears.”

She was asked if there was any justification for the delays that may not be known to outside observers, however she did not provide any reasons before press time. Nor did she give specifics of how the OPM intends to solve the problems, neither did she clarify when a substantive surveyor general would be appointed. Mr Ferguson has served in the acting role for at least three years.

Ralph Brennen, a former surveyor general now offering consultancy services in the OPM, said delays at his former office are hindering productivity.

“The guy, he’s never at work,” he claimed. “You got to sit your ass down in the office and do the work. You can’t get work done if you’re not there. The people call here and complain that they can’t get no plan signed and this has been going on for a couple of years. It erodes everything. There is no productivity. The people who work there are disgruntled and the surveyors in the private practice can’t get their business sorted out.”

Mr Brennen said surveyors have had to adjust their practice to accommodate the delays.

“What happens,” he said, “is that if you do a survey for someone, when you collect your final payment is when you give them a signed plan. But they say they can’t do that anymore because the manner in which the plans are being signed takes too long, so because their monies will be outstanding for too long they try to get it even if they have to reduce the cost. These things should not happen. When you submit a plan for approval, they give you a receipt that says it takes three weeks for approval unless there is a problem. But if there is a problem you have to give it back to them and it should be returned to you within a week or two. It’s not like what I’ve seen in the newspaper, 11 months. I don’t think it has ever been that way.”

Mr Brennen said the problem is particularly vexing for him because he recommended Mr Ferguson for the post several years ago.

“I wasn’t there long enough to fully mentor him and I don’t know if he’s overwhelmed with what’s happening because that’s the only reason I can see,” he said. “This is unconscionable. It shouldn’t happen unless you are very much out of your league and I’m hoping he isn’t out of his league because I recommended him for the position.”

Asked to respond to critics, Mrs Parker-Edgecombe said: “Criticisms are not falling on deaf ears, whether they are internal or external. We believe that in moving forward we must weigh both the good and bad if we are to succeed in achieving our mandate, therefore while we wish to minimise those complaints, and ultimately stop them, we do not intend to run away from concerns expressed but rather face them head on. Our desire is to ensure satisfaction for all reliant on our services.”

Asked if the government is seeking to fill the substantive post of surveyor general, Mrs Parker-Edgecombe said: “Lands and Surveys will require a team approach. We are determined to ensure that the skill set of personnel matches their job requirements.”