The Tribune

By Denise Maycock

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell criticised the Lucaya Service Company (LUSCO) and Tamarind Development for a prolonged silence of almost a year before addressing repairs needed at Taino Bridge.

The PLP chairman suggested the long silence may have been due to a lack of funds at the Grand Bahama Port Authority.

The companies recently released a statement announcing that Bahamas Hot Mix has been selected for reconstruction of the bridge, and that the delay was due to plans for relocating utilities in the central median of the bridge.

Mr Mitchell claims that two entities, LUSCO and Tamarind, are simply fronts for the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA).

The bridge has been partially shut down for almost a year, causing frustration among residents. LUSCO and Tamarind insist the delay is due to ensuring all utilities can be relocated during repairs.

The PLP chairman said companies have contracted Bahamas Hot Mix (BHM) to carry out the work. “Who is it that owns BHM, the old boys club is back again,” said Mr Mitchell.

Mr Mitchell said: “Why did it take GBPA to get cursed out in public to get answers to this problem? Reasonable people could conclude by the silence is that they just did not have the money.”

Mr Mitchell also criticised FNM leader Michael Pintard, who visited Eleuthera and was distributing bottles of water in response to the island’s ongoing water crisis.

Minister Mitchell argued the water problem in Eleuthera cannot be solved by giving out small bottles of drinking water.

He said it is a “systematic problem” caused during the time when Mr Pintard was a minister under the former FNM government, which made no improvements to the water infrastructure to ensure constant water supply in Eleuthera.

Mr Mitchell said under the guidance of MPs Sylvanus Petty and Clay Sweeting, people are working to fix the water problem.

He said Mr Pintard’s trip was a photo op and an opportunity to find a candidate for the FNM in Eleuthera.