The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Official Opposition’s concerns about the Pinecrest Subdivision sparked an argument in the Senate yesterday.

The heated exchange came during Senator Reuben Rahming’s contribution to a resolution to convey three parcels of land on the south side of the Pinecrest Drive to the housing minister.

Mr Rahming raised concerns about reported flooding in the community, an area which he said is known to have “water issues”. He also said there was a need for a proper drainage system to be installed in the community.

The FNM senator also referred to recent comments made by Transport and Housing minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis who told reporters that officials were working on a drainage plan that will be implemented during phase two of the project’s development.

However, Mr Rahming’s remarks prompted a response from Senator Darron Pickstock who described his comments as “misleading”.

Mr Picktock said: “The member is misleading the public by indicating that the plan that the government has in place that which is the drainage plan which would be implemented in phase two simply means that no fill is on the ground as yet in the community and the drainage plan is being implemented into the community so these things will be addressed, but the way he is speaking about it… the minister never said that there was any flooding in the community, okay.”

The FNM senator responded that he never said there was flooding in the area, adding that he had only spoken to what the minister had said about the government’s plans to address flooding concerns.

Senate president LaShell Adderley then asked Mr Rahming whether he had any evidence to support his claims, warning that if he did not, it would be struck from the record.

Ultimately, Senator Rahming withdrew his comments relating to Mrs Coleby-Davis’ interview with reporters on Tuesday.

He was also asked to withdraw the comments he had made “with respect to flooding” in the subdivision.

However, Senator Rahming only went on to show photographs taken of the community after rainwater had settled there.

In response, Ms Adderley said: “Based on the picture I can see from here, I see water. We do not have the definition of flooding. Until you can provide me with a definition of flooding, that will also be struck from the record.”

It was at this point that FNM Senator Darren Henfield rose on a point of order, saying: “The chair is asking the member to define flooding. I find that incredulous… You have to allow us fair debate.”

Following this, Mr Rahming’s remarks relating to flooding in the area were struck from the record.

Concerns about the housing project surfaced this week after videos circulated on social media, showing partially constructed homes with large puddles of rainwater.

Mrs Coleby-Davis has since defended the integrity of the government’s housing initiative, calling recent criticisms “silliness”.

She said the area was still under construction and has not yet been filled, suggesting this as the reason why water may have settled in some portions of the property.

“It’s not an area that’s been prone to flooding,” the minister told reporters before the weekly Cabinet meeting. “It’s just maybe hard rain where you have some water settled at one portion of the road but that’s been it when we spoke to the residents that presently live there. They haven’t had much issues with flooding. It’s a construction zone. That typically happens when you have alot of rain and you haven’t provided the fill yet which normally soaks up the water.”’

The government’s drainage plan for the Pinecrest subdivision was also tabled in the Senate yesterday by Mr Pickstock.

“The homes presently under construction are being built on land with elevations between seven and fourteen feet above main sea level,” he told the Senate. “The elevation of the land and drainage plan combined with additional foundation height will make the homes at Pinecrest less vulnerable to flooding from storm surges.”

Mr Pickstock said affordable housing initiatives like Pinecrest is what the former administration should’ve placed greater focus on, adding it was unfortunate that no public homes were built under the Minnis-led government.

“Four years and four months in office and the Minnis FNM government did not put up much as a lemonade stand,” he said. “They were too busy arresting the coconut guys who were trying to make a living.”