NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Former Prime Minister Dr Hubert said he hopes the Davis-led administration moves forward with projects that were left in the pipeline, such as the Prospect Ridge Housing development that was launched in July.
In an exclusive interview with Eyewitness News, Minnis said he is disappointed that he was not re-elected to the government for a second term in the 2021 General Election to continue those projects himself.
He said he hopes the new government honors those plans for youth development and moving the country forward.
“…I would hope that the young people put pressure on the government to ensure that there’s [an] adequate and proper housing program moving forward,” Minnis said.
“It pains me when I see properties which is [property of] the Crown has been taken by other individuals. No, that shouldn’t happen. It’s your land; it’s the people’s, and so it should go back to the people.”
The former prime minister underscored that with one of the greatest obstacles to homeownership being the financial down payment required, housing programs must be devised to get around it.
“This was the first program where the banking sector was 100-percent-approved financing,” he continued.
“The banking sector were willing to finance the houses for these young people 100 percent with no down payment. That’s the way forward. It gives everybody the opportunity. So, I would hope that they press the government to ensure that they inherit a part of their birthright.”
Approximately 1,500 applications had been received for the 300 lots in the Prospect Ridge community for young professionals, with one local realtor noting “there is clearly an appetite”.
The six-week application period opened on July 1 and closed on August 16, with applications received via the MyGateway platform, according to the Committee for the Development of Communities for Young Professionals.
The application review process was expected to continue until September 30 and applicants to be communicated with from October 1-15.
Minnis also pointed to his administration’s education plans for free preschools, universal school lunch and afterschool programs.
“I’m somewhat disappointed that the programs that we had in terms of free preschool moving forward — that’s essential, not only here but worldwide,” he said.
“The programs in terms of a universal lunch program, I can talk about that from experience when you don’t have lunch and how you feel you don’t want to communicate and sit down with others because you can’t focus and you’re bullied.
“The afterschool programs, that’s important to me also; the educational component as well as the sports component.
“I was in an environment when you leave school you don’t have light, and therefore you had to study to the candlelight or you study with the kerosene lamp.
“It’s advantageous if individuals can do their studies and homework after school in that environment supervised, so by the time you reach home, it’s all completed.
“The sporting component will allow them to engage in sporting events after school so that you have a better quality of life, healthy environment, healthy individuals and that will cut down on the obesity.”
The former prime minister insisted that his administration had a long-term plan that would have decreased demand on the hospital and decreased obesity, diabetes and hypertension.
He also pointed to his disappointment in being unable to complete his government’s plans for developing the public sector through hiring and training university students.
“All of those were rejected,” he said.
The Free National Movement (FNM) secured just seven seats in Parliament, including Minnis in Killarney; Michael Pintard in Marco City; Iram Lewis in Central Grand Bahama; Kwasi Thompson in East Grand Bahama; Adrian White in St Anne’s; Shanendon Cartwright in St Barnabas; and Adrian Gibson in Long Island.
There was a 65 percent voter turnout, which is the lowest seen in the modern history of the country. The 2017 General Election saw an 88 percent voter turnout.
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