The Tribune

THE deplorable state of our roads, the apparent disregard for building regulations, and the absence of meaningful enforcement raise serious questions about accountability, public safety, and what Bahamian taxpayers are getting for their money.

There comes a time when excuses become insults to the public's intelligence. In The Bahamas, particularly in New Providence, we have reached that point with the deplorable condition of our roads and the apparent failure to enforce building regulations. The situation is not merely embarrassing; it’s dangerous, costly, frustrating, and an indictment of those entrusted with protecting the public interest.

The Ministry of Works must ensure our roads are properly maintained, construction complies with established regulations, and development occurs in an orderly and safe manner. These are not extraordinary expectations. They are among the fundamental reasons the Ministry exists.

Yet, everywhere we turn, we see evidence that something is terribly wrong.

Our roads are a national disgrace. Potholes have become permanent landmarks. Some are so deep and wide that calling them potholes seems almost generous. They are craters, capable of swallowing a vehicle's tyre, destroying its suspension, damaging its undercarriage, and potentially injuring its occupants.

And what is even more disturbing? We seem to have accepted this as normal.

Why should any Bahamian who works hard, pays taxes, licenses a vehicle, and purchases expensive motor insurance be forced to navigate roads that resemble obstacle courses?

Consider the ordinary working person who spends years saving to purchase a vehicle. The moment that vehicle leaves the dealership, it begins to depreciate. Still, the owner must keep making monthly payments, buying insurance, paying licensing fees, buying fuel, and covering maintenance expenses.

Then, one morning, while travelling to work, that person drops into a pothole the size of a crater. There is a violent impact, a frightening noise, and suddenly the vehicle is damaged. Perhaps a tyre bursts, a rim bends, or the suspension is destroyed.

Who pays? Certainly not the pothole.

The unfortunate motorist must somehow find hundreds, possibly thousands, of dollars to repair damage that might never have occurred had the road been properly maintained.

Where is the fairness in that?

The single mother who pays the price

Think about the single mother who has struggled to buy a modest vehicle so she can take her children to school, get to work on time, and manage her household responsibilities.

She’s not driving a luxury vehicle. She’s not looking for special treatment. She simply wants reliable transportation.

One morning, she encounters a crater in the road that she cannot safely avoid. Her tyre is destroyed, her suspension damaged, and her vehicle becomes undrivable.

Now she cannot take her children to school. She cannot get to work. She may lose wages she desperately needs, and she must somehow find money for repairs. Who should be responsible for that damage?

Why should the financial consequences of neglected public infrastructure fall entirely on a struggling citizen?

We must ask whether the government should establish a transparent, accessible process through which motorists can seek compensation for damage caused by demonstrably negligent road maintenance. Liability would, of course, have to be established under the law, but citizens should not be left without a meaningful avenue for redress.

The Ministry of Works cannot simply shrug its shoulders while motorists continue paying the price for deteriorating infrastructure.

Potholes do not discriminate

There’s something remarkably democratic about a pothole. It doesn’t care whether the driver is wealthy or poor, politically connected or unknown, a government minister or an ordinary citizen. Everyone is vulnerable.

The businessman travelling to an appointment, the nurse reporting for duty, the teacher heading to school, the taxi driver earning a living, and the mother transporting her children all face the same hazards. Even government officials must travel on these roads.

So why is there not a greater sense of urgency?

No reasonable person expects every road in New Providence to be repaired overnight. We understand that road construction requires planning, engineering, funding, equipment, and coordination. But surely the public is entitled to expect a credible, publicly announced road maintenance programme with priorities, timelines, and measurable results.

Tell us which roads will be repaired, when work will begin, how long it will take, and who will ensure the work meets acceptable standards. That’s not asking too much.

Instead, motorists are too often left wondering whether anything will happen until a pothole becomes so dangerous that someone is seriously injured. There’s no excuse for letting dangerous road defects go unattended indefinitely. The Ministry of Works must demonstrate accountability

No one should begrudge a minister for paying attention to the needs of his constituency. Every elected representative has a responsibility to serve the people who elected him. However, a minister's national responsibility extends far beyond the boundaries of any constituency.

The principal roads and highways of New Providence carry thousands of motorists and support the daily movement of workers, schoolchildren, commercial vehicles, emergency services, and tourists.

These roads are essential to our economy. Their maintenance should not depend on political convenience, public complaints reaching a certain volume, or the approach of another election.

Road maintenance is not a political favour. It is a public obligation.

Motorists pay Road Traffic licensing fees, and many pay substantial insurance premiums. Although motorists pay insurance premiums to insurers rather than the government, these combined expenses show how costly vehicle ownership has become. Citizens deserve a road network that does not unnecessarily increase those costs.

The Ministry should publish a comprehensive road rehabilitation and preventative maintenance plan. It should also explain how road defects are identified, assessed, prioritised, and repaired. A government that collects public revenue must be prepared to account for the services delivered.

Building regulations: rules without enforcement are meaningless

The condition of our roads is only one part of a much larger problem. Equally troubling is the apparent disregard for building regulations and property boundaries in certain communities.

Regulatory bodies exist for a reason. They set standards, protect public safety, prevent disputes, and ensure development happens in an orderly manner. Building codes and planning regulations are not decorative documents designed to sit on government shelves. They exist to be enforced.

Historically, setbacks from roads, property boundaries, and minimum construction standards were introduced for practical reasons. They help preserve access, protect neighbouring property owners, provide space for drainage and utilities, and support public safety.

Yet we continue to see buildings constructed remarkably close to roads, structures appearing to encroach on neighbouring properties, and development taking place in circumstances that raise legitimate questions about oversight.

How does this happen? How can a structure allegedly extend several feet beyond a property boundary without anyone identifying and addressing the problem?

How can construction proceed where there are serious questions about compliance with approved plans? And where are the building inspectors while all this is happening?

These are not unreasonable questions. They go directly to the integrity of our regulatory system.

Who is checking the boundaries?

Property ownership is one of the most significant investments a Bahamian family can make. Many people work their entire lives to purchase a piece of land, build a home, and leave something for their children. Imagine discovering that someone has constructed a wall, extension, or even part of a building on your property.

When you object, instead of the matter being resolved promptly and peacefully, you face hostility, intimidation, or the prospect of expensive litigation. In some disputes, confrontations can escalate dangerously.

Why should a lawful property owner have to fight to protect land that legally belongs to them?

A reliable system must verify property boundaries and ensure construction follows approved surveys and plans. A building permit should not be treated as permission to encroach on another person's property. Nor should the connection of electricity be mistaken for proof that a building is legally situated or fully compliant.

Different agencies have different responsibilities, which is why effective coordination is essential.

If a building is found to encroach on neighbouring land, the public deserves to know which authority is responsible for investigating, what enforcement powers exist, and how affected property owners can obtain timely assistance.

The alternative is a system in which the law-abiding citizen bears the burden while the person responsible for the encroachment benefits from delay.

That cannot be acceptable.

Setbacks, sidewalks, and dangerously narrow roads

Another serious concern involves buildings constructed close to public roads. In some locations, structures appear to stand only a few feet from the roadway, leaving little room for pedestrians, drainage improvements, future road expansion, or emergency access.

If a 25-foot setback is required for a particular development, then that requirement should be enforced unless a lawful variance or other applicable approval has been granted.

The public should be able to determine whether such approvals exist. Who approved the plans? Were the required inspections completed? Was a variance granted? If construction departed from the approved plans, what action was taken?

These questions demand answers.

Equally troubling are situations where sidewalks are built along roads that already appear too narrow to safely accommodate two-way traffic. Pedestrian safety is essential, and sidewalks are necessary. But they must be incorporated into sensible road designs that consider traffic flow, drainage, property boundaries, and emergency access.

What happens when a fire engine or ambulance must travel along a narrow road where vehicles cannot safely pass? Poor planning can turn an ordinary traffic problem into a life-threatening emergency.

We cannot continue accepting slackness

The Bahamas promotes itself internationally as a premier destination. We invite visitors to experience our beautiful beaches, warm hospitality, and world-class tourism product. Yet what impression do we create when visitors leave the airport and encounter deteriorating roads, dangerous potholes, inadequate drainage, and poorly coordinated development? Our infrastructure should reflect the pride we claim to have in our country.

We cannot keep spending enormous sums promoting The Bahamas while neglecting the basic infrastructure residents and visitors depend on. Nor can we keep accepting slackness as though it were an unavoidable feature of national life.

The Ministry of Works should be able to demonstrate that inspections are taking place, violations are being addressed, road maintenance is properly scheduled, and public funds are being used effectively.

Inspectors must inspect. Regulators must regulate. Contractors must meet acceptable standards. And public officials must answer legitimate questions about performance. Where wrongdoing or negligence is established, there must be consequences. The public deserves better

The solution begins with accountability, transparency, and a genuine commitment to maintenance and enforcement. Publish the road repair schedule. Establish a system for reporting dangerous potholes. Respond promptly to serious hazards. Strengthen building inspections. Make approval processes more transparent. Investigate credible complaints of encroachment and regulatory violations.

Above all, stop treating ordinary citizens as though they should be grateful for services they have every right to expect. The Bahamian people are not demanding perfection. They are demanding competence. They are not expecting every pothole to disappear tomorrow. They are expecting evidence that someone is taking responsibility.

They are not opposing development. They are demanding that development respect the law, neighbouring properties, and public safety. And they are certainly not asking for special treatment when they insist that the roads they travel every day should be reasonably safe. The Ministry of Works must recognise that public infrastructure is not a luxury. It is a fundamental responsibility of government.

Every crater left unattended, every legitimate building complaint ignored, and every preventable hazard allowed to continue weakens public confidence in the institutions established to serve us. The question is no longer whether our roads are in deplorable condition. Too many motorists experience that reality every day.

The question is whether those responsible have the determination, competence, and sense of urgency to do something about it.

Because when a hardworking Bahamian destroys a vehicle in a neglected pothole, when a property owner must fight to defend a lawful boundary, or when an emergency vehicle cannot safely navigate a poorly planned road, the consequences are real. They are not merely administrative inconveniences. They affect people's livelihoods, property, safety, and sometimes their lives.

Enough excuses. Enough finger-pointing. Enough slackness.

The Ministry of Works must do its job, enforce the rules, repair our roads, and give this country's taxpayers the standard of service they deserve.

The people have paid their dues. It’s time for the Government to deliver.