The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

YOUTH, Sports and Culture Minister Mario Bowleg says Cabinet has given approval for infrastructure to be placed at Olympian Ramon Miller’s home on government gifted land, where he has lived off the grid for several years.

On Monday, Mr Miller expressed disappointment that there had been no change with his dilemma since going public with it in October.

Yesterday, the minister said while Cabinet had given the nod for work to begin, there was some preliminary work to complete. However, once this is finished, “work will start very, very soon,” Mr Bowleg said.

“Cabinet has already given the approval for the infrastructure to commence,” Mr Bowleg said before heading into a Cabinet meeting.

“I think Mr Miller just has to understand. I understand that it’s been a long time and he is running out of patience but the utilities companies have to not just go there, but plan and ensure that they go and do the proper work that is necessary.

“So, it’s just not get up and go and cut the trench and start putting down wires and pipes and all that stuff. It’s a collaboration amongst the utility companies and once they do that, I think work will start very, very soon.”

He also said: “You have to go and assess the work and ensure that the plan of the of the community is set up properly so that when they go in there, where streets need to be, that’s where they start laying the pipes for the water or running the wires for the electricity, all of that is organised properly.”

Asked about the same issue concerning land gifted to the Golden Girls, Mr Bowleg said he was unsure of the status of that matter.

When contacted by The Tribune for an update on Monday, Mr Miller lamented that his situation had yet to be resolved.

“I am still in a dilemma and still in the hole,” Mr Miller said. “I just hope to get this situation sorted out as best as I could, but nothing has happened yet.”

About two months ago, The Tribune broke the news of Mr Miller’s unsuccessful attempts to gain infrastructure to his home that was built on land given to him by the government in 2014 after he ran the anchor leg for the men’s 4x400 metre relay team at the London games. Those games were held in 2012.

The home was completed in 2018, but despite following all of the necessary procedures from before the beginning of construction, he told The Tribune he encountered “roadblock after roadblock” in getting the necessary infrastructure.

In November, Minister of Works Alfred Sears said it would be “sooner rather than later” for approval to be granted to fund the placement of light and water infrastructure at Mr Miller’s home.

At the time, the minister suggested a Cabinet paper for the funding for the work in the subdivision was completed, adding it was just a matter left to come up on the executive branch of government’s agenda.