The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

STATE Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal Lisa Rahming claimed the Davis administration has built 146 homes and repaired 661 this term but provided little breakdown of where the homes were built, how much was spent, or the scale of the damage addressed.

The figures were presented during an evening House of Assembly session yesterday as Ms Rahming responded to sharp criticism from Opposition Leader Michael Pintard over the administration’s hurricane recovery record.

She suggested it cost more than $7m overall to repair the homes, some of which were in Abaco and needed repairs related to roof, mould and other issues.

Mr Pintard pointed to the Minnis administration’s efforts following the storm, noting that between $2,500 and $10,000 was allocated per home, often in partnership with private sector groups. He contrasted that with what he called an unclear and underwhelming record by the current government.

East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson added that over 2,000 homes were assisted between Grand Bahama and Abaco under the previous administration. He said the effort addressed multiple needs, including labour and materials.

Ms Rahming pushed back, alleging that hardware vouchers issued under the former government were not honoured, and blamed the opposition for the backlog of unrepaired homes.

Mr Pintard and Mr Thompson both acknowledged that the Minnis administration did not complete all needed repairs but emphasised the urgency of current failures. Mr Pintard alleged that in Grand Bahama, many contractors mobilised in 2022 have yet to be paid, bringing repairs to a halt.