The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Deputy Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

SOME contractors who were paid up to $100,000 to construct government low cost houses in Abaco but did not finish the jobs could be "prosecuted" and at the very least placed on a "stop list" until the money is repaid, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said yesterday.

Dr Minnis, who is acting minister of works, said these contractors will be placed on the restricted list when he reports for duty at the Ministry of Works at 9am Wednesday.

Desmond Bannister, substantive works minister, is in Shanghai, China attending a ministerial conference.

The prime minister said while Mr Bannister is gone, the contractors' names will be given to Minister of Housing Romauld Ferreira who will conduct a "thorough" investigation into the housing situation in Spring City, Abaco.

While Dr Minnis did not say how many homes remained incomplete, photographs he presented to Parliament depicted structures unsuitable for habitation.

Neither did the prime minister reveal the contractor's names, telling seated Official Opposition members the names were "irrelevant" to him.

"I want to point out some of the problems we face with building homes," the prime minister said as he wrapped up the 2018/2019 budget debate yesterday.

"In Spring City, a subdivision created by the government, contractors were paid for building homes. In some instances they have received up to $100,000 and only the retention money was withheld but they have received."

He continued: "So, Mr Speaker, this government does not tolerate nonsense, this the people's money and therefore those individuals, I am giving their names to the minister of housing so that he can do a thorough investigation and I am also providing a copy to the minister of legal affairs.

"The idea is those individuals must be prosecuted. They will also be placed on the stop list doing the government's job until our money is returned.

"I have a copy (of the list) here for the minister of works, but the minister of works is not here and I am told that I am acting minister of works and therefore I put the ministry on notice that at 9 o'clock on Wednesday I will be there in the capacity of acting minister of works to see those names and they will placed on the stop list. They will not do any government jobs until they're completed.

"But I am sending out a notice to all those who believe they can receive government's money and do not produce . . . That don't happen anymore," Dr Minnis said.

"You produce or you will be put on a stop list and you will never, until you pay the money back, be given any government job."

The government will also settle land matters concerning residents at Crossing Rocks, Abaco.

According to Dr Minnis issues there have persisted for years pertaining to the government regularising land for homeowners after they were forced to move due to the devastation left behind by Hurricane Floyd in 1999.

"As a result of that, the government had given them permission to build more inland and the government had promised that they would sell the land to them at rock bottom price (of) $1,000 giving them the opportunity to start their homes.

"Many individuals would have taken advantage of the situation because their homes had been destroyed on the coast and they subsequently had moved to the areas designated by the government.

"However, their land was never regularised. So I want to assure those individuals that before December their land would be regularised and the promise that was made to them at a price of $1,000 or in some instances $500 we would honour that commitment and therefore they could receive their land for $500."

For those in New Providence, Andros, Abaco, Exuma and San Salvador interested in home ownership, the prime minister said the government wants to create a minimum of one subdivision per year over the next 10 years.

Apart from service lots in subdivisions being offered at a cost of less than $30,000 per lot, Dr Minnis said a percentage of the lots will be geared toward those 35 and younger because a large number of Bahamians fall in this age bracket.

This initiative is not only for those in the armed forces, as has been public perception he said, but for any Bahamian who is interested in home ownership.