The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has urged the Davis administration to follow the former government’s plan to address the proliferation of shanty towns.

 In recent weeks the issue has been reignited and the Free National Movement has called for the government to take definite action to address the problem.

Yesterday, the former prime minister was adamant that his administration had a plan that was effective, as he told the government to take a systematic approach toward the growth of unregulated communities throughout The Bahamas.

“I think if they were to go back and look at the FNM’s plans they would see that it would resolve the problem,” Dr Minnis told The Tribune when he was contacted for comment yesterday. “It has to be done systematically.”

Dr Minnis said his administration had been confronted with serious challenges and there had to be a concerted effort to tackle the vexing issue.

“When I was prime minister we recognised that that was a vexing ongoing problem that had to be resolved similar to the dump fire that we had here in New Providence,” Dr Minnis continued.

Much of the work came in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, which decimated the areas in Abaco.

“What we met there really in these shanty towns was open cesspits where the water table within the community of Marsh Harbour and adjourning areas were contaminated, there were multiple buildings that did not meet the (building) code.

“The Mudd was the largest shanty town in The Bahamas. The Mudd and Pigeon Peas together and then there were multiple illegal commerce such as prostitution, illegal sale of multiple things alcohol, drugs, etc. There were also multiple illegal generators and what we found significant was some of the generators were really really huge to power entire communities and those generators had to be moved there by crane which meant those individuals had to be assisted.

“So, those were just some of the problems we met and we subsequently cleaned up the Mudd and fenced it in. We cleaned up Pigeon Peas and fenced it in and we cleaned up the other area and fenced it in so that they could not be utilised again.”

He continued: “Then the last one that we were dealing with was the Farm. We ensured that there was one entrance and we put police and defence force guards at the entrance which meant that we monitored individuals coming in.

 “We ensured that they had the necessary status and the plan was individuals that qualified for citizenship would have gotten their citizenship and permanent residency would have gotten those.

 “Those that were illegal would have been dealt with appropriately also and we had started with the purchase of a police van that was going to be placed there 24/7 to monitor and ensure that there was no expansion, no growth, etc. Immigration officers were regularly patrolling the area and we were breaking down all of the buildings that were not to code and individuals were encouraged to rent facilities that would meet the zoning codes and those that were regularised and had gotten their status were encouraged to purchase land just like everyone else and build their homes so we could have proper communities.”

 Dr Minnis said with respect to The Mudd, the plan was for the area to be developed into a memorial park.

 He said once this was complete, officials planned to set their sights on Eleuthera and Andros.

 “However we were stopped by the courts and as a result of that the Farm has subsequently mushroomed over the last year. In fact now almost as far as Treasure Cay Airport.”

 Last week, the FNM said there was a significant number of unregulated developments springing up on several islands.

 “Bahamians throughout the country, and in particular New Providence, Abaco, North Andros and Eleuthera, are raising the alarm that there are significant numbers of unregulated developments or shantytowns springing up in their communities and expanding on a daily basis,” the FNM said in a statement at the time.

 “The concerns from many tax-paying residents have fallen on the deaf ears of a number of Progressive Liberal Party MPs, some of whom represent these various communities.

 “What is even more disappointing and shocking is the deafening silence from the government of The Bahamas, most especially the prime minister and the minister of works, in response to this matter.

 “Not only are Bahamians concerned about the number of these developments that are popping up in their backyards but we are also worried that the Davis administration seems paralyzed, unable and unprepared to address this very serious issue.”

 Works and Utilities Minister Alfred Sears has advised people who are contemplating building on land that does not belong to them to cease and desist because the government “will not tolerate it”.

 He said officials have a team from building control and also town planning who have visited Abaco and prepared a report on unregulated communities there.

 According to the minister, officials will be announcing “shortly” the measures that they will be taking.

 The Minnis administration began demolishing illegal structures in Abaco last year in a bid to eliminate the remaining shanty towns on the island after many of the communities were wiped out by Hurricane Dorian in 2019.

  However, the demolition exercises were stopped after Supreme Court Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson ordered the government to cease and desist further interference with those communities until the judicial review of the matter was completed.