The Tribune

By Fay Simmons

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

Long Island MP Adrian Gibson said Long Island is “suffering” with utility and infrastructure issues - listing a number of problems facing islanders daily.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday, Mr Gibson said the economy of Long Island has “contracted” under the Davis administration and residents are faced with frequent water and electricity outages.

He said the telecommunication service provided by BTC is unreliable in many settlements and called for the government to ensure BTC provided proper service.

“Long Island is suffering, and it’s high time that this new day government pays attention,” said Mr Gibson.

“The economy of Long Island has contracted under this administration, the residents of Long Island face daily struggles. Our water supply is unreliable. The power cuts off more than ever before, and let’s not forget the frequent telecom failures.

“Imagine this week in 2024 the whole communities... cannot make a single phone call. If you need a part for your vehicle or something as simple as groceries in another part of the island, you have to drive burning expensive gas just to find out if it’s in stock because you can’t use the phones, you can’t text, you can’t WhatsApp, you can’t make a phone call. You have no internet access.

“The government is a major shareholder in BTC, and so BTC’s infrastructure is lacking, and if BTC’s service is poor, the government has a duty to ensure that BTC provide proper service to the people of Long Island.”

Mr Gibson said businesses have grown frustrated at the outages that make it difficult to process credit card payments and payrolls as well as communicate with their consumers.

“Telecommunications is the backbone of a modern economy, but on Long Island, BTC is a joke,” said Mr Gibson.

“We are paying for internet and phone services we don’t get. Imagine the frustration of business owners trying to serve their customers or even make payrolls without a reliable phone or internet connection. If we are to attract any meaningful investment, this cannot continue. So where is the upgrade to this critical infrastructure? Where is the accountability?”

He said the island’s sole ATM is frequently out of service and funds leaving tourists and resisents frustrated and called for Bank of The Bahamas to provide banking services to the island.

“There’s one ATM and that is in Deadman’s Cay and when you arrive there, more often than not, the ATM’s without cash, out of service, yet again,” said Mr Gibson.

“And I’ve constantly called upon the government for BOB to come to Long Island to provide banking services. This is inconvenient. It’s a burden when you have the one and only ATM machine in Deadman’s Cay breaking down constantly, businesses are unable to accept credit cards, obviously because of the internet failures.

“Tourists can’t access money, and tourism should be bringing dollars into our economy, are left frustrated, inconvenienced and unlikely to return.”

Mr Gibson said the roads are in a state of disrepair being “more reminiscent of a war zone than an island that should be promoting tourism and development”.

“Let me tell you about our roads, deplorable doesn’t even begin to describe their condition, potholes, floods, disrepair,” said Mr Gibson.

“These roads are more reminiscent of a war zone than an island that should be promoting tourism and development. We’re being taxed through the nose, and fuel, that is fuel taxes, vehicle registration fees and more. And yet we drive on roads that punish us for owning cars.”

He also called for the airport to be renovated to provide more airlift to the island and sustain the tourism industry.

“Our airport derelict run down and frankly, an embarrassment,” said Mr Gibson.

“How can we promote tourism and encourage economic growth when the gateway to our island is so decrepit? We need upgrades. We need airlift solutions, and we need them now. How much longer can Long Islanders wait in limbo denied the basic access that every other Bahamian expects.”