The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

Abaco’s Chamber of Commerce president yesterday warned that the business advocacy group will press the Government to tear down Dorian-devastated properties unless their owners demolish or renovate them first.

Daphne Degregory-Miaoulis told Tribune Business she has been speaking with the landlords of buildings abandoned in Hurricane Dorian’s aftermath as part of a drive to clean-up Marsh Harbour. “We will be writing a letter to all of the landlords of those dilapidated buildings in Marsh Harbour formally requesting that they respond to our request to have them demolished or renovated,” she added.

“If they don’t respond to us, we will present our case to the Government to take steps to have those buildings torn down.” Businesses have continued to re-open in Marsh Harbour. Bay Breeze Marina and Storage Yamaha reopened its new facilities last week, while Maxwell’s Hardware Store has bought an old property and rehabilitated it for its new premises.

“Maxwell’s is right in the city centre. They have completely renovated an old building and it’s nicely done,” Mrs Degregory-Miaoulis added. “We still have people who have abandoned buildings that are a real eyesore, and are a problem, or the people that have rebuilt and the people who are trying to improve the city, they are still affected by the people who are not doing anything.”

The Abaco Chamber has requested that the Government move to tear down dilapidated and abandoned buildings down, but it “has not made any move in that regard”.

Mrs Degregory-Miaoulis said: “I have asked some of the landlords on a one-on-one basis, but maybe the Chamber should write a formal letter to these landlords and property owners asking them what their intentions are? I have personally asked, but it has not been official. If they don’t respond, or if they don’t have anything positive to say, then we can tell the Government that we reached out and ask them to use force.”

The Government is currently using a similar strategy for the downtown Nassau revitalisation where it is working with the Downtown Nassau Partnership in demolishing abandoned buildings on Bay Street.