The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

CENTRAL and South Abaco MP John Pinder said he is confident the committee dealing with unregulated communities will tackle a growing Abaco shanty town in the first quarter of 2024.

“Abaconians are definitely upset,” he told reporters yesterday. “It’s not right for any foreigner to come in here and do what they please without the same permitting and regulations that us Bahamians have to do but there is no new shantytowns. These are shantytowns that are been just growing exponentially without any restriction.

“Previously, the Mudd and the Pigeon Peas were restricted by the buildings around it and the downtown Marsh Harbour area where these are growing, there is no restriction on the landmass, and Abaco is the second largest island in The Bahamas. And we have to put a stop to it and bring some normalisation and some security to our island, which I’m confident that this administration will do.”

Attorney General Ryan Pinder said earlier this month the government would terminate agriculture-related Crown land leases if shanty towns have been built on the properties.

Discussing this, Mr Pinder said: “Bahamians that are given Crown Land is for a particular reason, and their reasons are stated on their application and for them to go about and grow a neighbourhood on land that they were supposed to have agricultural businesses on is wrong.”