The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of Housing is preparing its last briefing paper to present to Cabinet that will shape the final determination regarding the Prospect Ridge project’s future, according to Transport and Housing Minister Jobeth Coleby-Davis yesterday.

The once highly anticipated housing project for young professionals announced under the previous Minnis administration has been put on the back burner and branded nothing more than a political ploy by the Davis administration, with revelations that its Environmental Impact Assessment was rejected due to major questions that arose.

Critical steps like the feasibility study, a topography study and a master plan were not done, the minister has previously said.

More recently, Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis called on his predecessor Dr Hubert Minnis to explain the proposed pricing for the housing lots, telling Parliament the sum was insufficient to cover the estimated price tag of infrastructure for the development.

Asked yesterday if these factors and others had led the Davis administration to kill the project, Mrs Coleby-Davis said: “My office is preparing a final briefing paper to Cabinet and a decision will be made following a discussion.

“What I can say is that for the moment no further work has been completed as it relates to Prospect Ridge. As you would note from the recent supplementary budget debate, the funds allotted for the production of a master plan (have) been re-allocated to other priority projects and I am moving full steam ahead in the ministry to begin construction on various subdivisions in New Providence, Grand Bahama and other Family Islands, inclusive of Abaco and Eleuthera.

“I’ve made it clear that the focus is to produce turnkey affordable homes for Bahamians throughout the entire Bahamas.”

As for the timeline of the final briefing paper, she explained that work in this regard is ongoing, adding: “They are preparing a detailed report as requested by the Prime Minister and reading through meeting minutes from the former Prospect committee.”

Dr Minnis has repeatedly defended the proposed development, insisting that much work had been done to ensure his vision became a reality.

Last month, he said a Committee for the Development for Young Professionals carried out work for four months.

“The committee designed the rules of the programme, including to give priority to persons based on the following criteria: the lower one’s income; the younger one’s age; if one worked for the government; and if one did not own a parcel of land,” he said at the time. “Special consideration was also given for those with disabilities.

“The Digital Transformation Unit of the government built a digital application process on the MyGateway platform, which automatically weighted the criteria noted above and had the ability to rank the applicants. Committee members held meetings with commercial banks to explain the programme and the partnership anticipated.

“The commercial banks made preliminary assessments and provided letters to the committee to support the level of mortgage applicants were eligible to receive.”

He said architects completed a conceptual sketch of the community and an environmentalist carried out the Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management Plan.

Around 1,500 applications were received for the 300 lots offered for the development.