The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

RAMON Miller and Eldece Clarke-Lewis, Bahamian Olympic gold medalists, beamed with happiness yesterday as the government signed a $1.2m contract for the installation of infrastructure and development of Olympia Heights.

The subdivision in western New Providence contains parcels of land gifted to the elite athletes after their respective wins at separate summer Olympic games in 2000 and 2012.

For Mr Miller, it was a long time coming, having gone public more than four months ago with his battle to have the area outfitted with light, water and telecommunications utilities.

However, the event struck a different note with Pauline Davis-Thompson.

The 2000 Sydney Olympics gold medallist admitted a certain level of disappointment that what had been promised concerning her gifted property — a clause in her property’s documents that outlined that a road from West Bay Street was to be cut for access to the subdivision — has apparently been omitted.

 She also told reporters she was somewhat “depressed” that so much time had passed since receiving the gift that she was now past the maximum age limit banks require to gain approval for mortgages.

 “When we got our documents 20 plus years ago they stated on the document that a road to our property would be cut from West Bay Street, that the transformer was going to be removed and the road was going to get cut from there,” she said to Public Works Minister Alfred Sears when the event opened for questions from the press moments before the contract was inked.

 “It was also stated to us that the reason why the road would be cut from West Bay Street was that it would make our property value more. So, the question I am asking now, sir, based on what was said, our road is not getting cut from West Bay Street.”

 In a separate interview following the signing, Mrs Davis-Thompson said: “Well, my concern is that there are several of us now who are past the age of being able to go to a bank to get loan to build on our property and that deeply concerns me because that property was given to us by the people of The Bahamas.

 “…I am so excited to sit here today and hear what Minister Sears has to say and to know that, wow, 22 years and now we are finally able and going to be able to have access to the property, but at the same time while I’m excited and happy, there is a part of me that’s a little depressed because I recognise that the beautiful gift that the Bahamian people have given to us there are some of us, and that includes me, that are not at the age where we can get loans from banks. So, what is supposed to happen now? I want to live there. It’s important to me.”

 Meanwhile Francis Clarke, senior engineer, noted challenges due to the terrain of the area and added that had the site been developed 20 years ago, it may have been possible to build the road access from West Bay Street. However, he said, there were developments at the location now where the developers excavated and at the northern end where the road was planned to be cut there was a 20ft drop.

 He said officials intended to build a stairway to give the public pedestrian access to West Bay Street and around the area there would be a monument commemorating the athletes.

 For his part, Mr Sears said the ministry would look at the issue.

 He also apologised to the athletes for the time it took to have the area remediated.

 “We extend an apology for conveying the land and failing up to now, 20 years to install the infrastructure. I am aware, and we all are aware, that one of the recipients of the land, Mr Ramon Miller, has built in the absence of the infrastructure.

 “I want to say to you thank you for your consistent advocacy and it was in fact through your advocacy that it came to my attention and the urgency and when I brought it to the Cabinet and the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, we made it a commitment of the government to do what should have been done, but it was not.

 “You deserve the best because of your hard work and your extraordinary global achievement.”

 The work has been contracted to Stubbs Heavy Equipment and Construction Ltd. The company is owned by Charles Stubbs.

 The scope of work will include site investigation and surveying, design of utility infrastructure, civil works, setting out the works, site clearance and earthworks.

 Stubbs Construction will also see to the installation of utilities: water and sewerage, electricity and telecommunications, asphalt paving and striping, proper drainage, sidewalks and landscaping.

 The price of the contract is $1,227,953.10 and there is a completion timeline of 270 days.