The Tribune

A GIANT pothole in eastern New Providence has been repaired by a private company in what is being described as “an amazing display of a corporate contribution to a community”.

Motorists and residents using Sans Souci Hill Road were surprised and delighted to find the pothole – described variously as a “crater” or “sink hole” – filled in and resurfaced on Sunday after Atario Mitchell, the owner of Bahamas Striping, saw a post on Facebook highlighting the size of the problem and its dangers.

Deran Thompson Sr posted a photograph of his daughter, Asia, lying in the massive hole last week to illustrate the growing issue.

On Saturday, Mr Mitchell contacted Mr Thompson and the next day – Mother’s Day – set to work, committing machinery and materials to get the job done in two hours. He earned the gratitude of many on social media.

“Bahamas Striping, thank you so much on behalf of the residents of St Anne’s and all that frequent this road,” Mr Thompson wrote on his Facebook site. “What to you may be a small repair to us is monumental as it was really causing tremendous challenges, especially during this rainy season. I have watched Bahamas Striping grow from its inception to the company they are today. I have seen on television and in print many of their programmes giving back to society.

“So I was very pleased yesterday when Bahamas Striping contacted me and said they were going to fix the massive hole on Sans Souci Hill Road as a part of their corporate mandated initiatives to give back to society. Persons who use this road please share this story with your friends. This needs to be shared. Bahamas Striping didn’t have to do this, but they did. Let’s show them some love.”

Celebrating its fifth anniversary this month, Bahamas Striping says it prides itself as a company that has always given back to its community. From its inception, Mr Mitchell’s view has been that Bahamians should not sit back and wait for government to do everything, but that people could do more to help their community.

Commercially priced, based on the two hours it took to carry out the repairs and the amount of materials used, Bahamas Striping said the job would have cost just under $1,300.