The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

JIMMY Smith, chief councillor of the West Grand Bahama District Council, took a bold step yesterday, moving away the barricade of rocks and reopening the Fishing Hole Road bridge causeway.

“Enough is enough,” declared Mr Smith, who said that he was prepared to be arrested for his part in having removed the large boulders at the western end of the bridge.

On learning the news, the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) expressed strong objection to the reopening of the causeway.

According to a statement issued by deputy director and city manager Troy McIntosh, the reopening of the causeway was done without consultation or approval from the government and the GBPA.

“We have formally communicated to the relevant government agencies to express our deep concern for motoring public safety by the reopening of the causeway with no immediate plan in place and without the initial hazardous conditions being repaired,” Mr McIntosh said.

“The GBPA explicitly states our objection to the reopening and will take immediate and necessary action to protect the safety of motorists that traverse the causeway.”

Mr Smith said the decision was taken as the result of the lack of communication from Nassau about when the emergency remediation work would begin at FHR, which has been closed for the past two months.

“We are opening the causeway today,” Mr Smith said. “It is always a back and forth, and I think what prompted us to move this morning is when the person that is in charge of the Ministry of Works in GB stated on the newscast last night that Nassau is not communicating with her.

“Not only is Nassau not communicating with her, Nassau is not communicating with us in the western district. We are deteriorating down here in the western district in terms of roads, and every other issue we have with the MOW, we are not being heard,” he stated.

“And, so today we decided from the council that enough is enough. I don’t want to put this on anybody else other than my chair as chief councillor.

“Right now, this is a movement of the chief councillor’s office and the council. Enough is enough, that is as much as I can say.”

A small crew of men were seen with blowers clearing away the loose gravel from the causeway.

Said Mr Smith: “We are cleaning the road to make sure all the gravel is gone. But we want to send a clear message to the WGB District residents: ‘Take your time on this road, if it’s raining you know what you have to do. While it is clear, still take your time on this road. Don’t allow them to say because we are driving recklessly, that is why we are having these incidents on the causeway.

“WGB district, we are better than this. We are a great people and we have great power. And today, the WGB District is putting forth that power that enough is enough,” he stated.

When asked if he was prepared for some repercussions concerning the actions taken, Mr Smith responded: “I am ready, I came dressed to be locked up today.”

The Fishing Hole Road causeway was closed on December 28, 2022 by the GBPA after safety concerns were raised concerning hazardous driving conditions experienced and engineering issues in the road construction were discovered there.

In February, Mr McIntosh explained that while waiting for the ministry to conclude the investigation and begin remedial work in early December 2022, the GBPA began preparations to close the bridge at a cost of $20,000. They also spent an additional $5,000 to grade the service road to be used as an alternative route to safeguard motorists.

Luther Smith, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Works, told The Tribune when contacted that the government had reached an understanding with GBPA officials to close the FHR and reopen the secondary service road to allow motorists access to and from West Grand Bahama.

At that time, PS Smith had indicated that emergency remediation work to FHB would be undertaken and that it would probably take two months.

However, not long after, concerns were raised over the deteriorated condition of the temporary service dirt road, particularly during bad weather. The large pot holes and rough surface was a nuisance for motorists, some of whom suffered the loss of tyres.

And early this week, a traffic accident occurred there involving a motorist who lost control and overturned.

Motorist Ernest Rigby had lost two tyres while driving on the service road.

“Water had settled in the road and you could not see the large potholes” he explained. “I think the powers that be need to do something. They should fix the road before they open the bridge because they are going to close it and we will be back down on the same (service) road again with this same foolishness.”

Motorist Marcus Newbold also urged the proper authorities to repair the bridge because the surface is slippery during the rain.

“When it rains … the bridge, whatever they put on it, is slippery and causes the cars and trucks to slip, and that causes accidents,” he said.

Shortly after 11am, a statement was issued by the Ministry of Works and Utilities announcing that the repairs to the Fishing Hole Road Bridge and service road will commence on Monday, March 6.

The contract for the repairs has been awarded to Bahamas Hot Mix Company Ltd.

“BHM was chosen as the preferred contractor at this time due to their responsiveness and ability to mobilise immediately, having the available resources to execute the works within the required time frame,” according to the statement.

According to the statement, the expected duration of the work is anticipated to be four to five weeks.

The Ministry of Works said the paving of the bridge surface is expected to be completed in two to three weeks, and then the service road will be repaired.