NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Attacks on the government’s Pine Crest housing development in South Beach are attempts to discourage Bahamians from becoming homeowners under the Davis administration, according to Minister of Transport and Housing JoBeth Coleby-Davis.
“But based on the criticism deputy speaker it is perhaps clear that the main intent is to discourage Bahamians from seeking to become homeowners in the Pine Crest subdivision and to damage the reputation,” Coleby-Davis said in Parliament yesterday.
To suggestions from some quarters that the homes have not been constructed to standard, the minister said the homes are being constructed with concrete blocks, reinforced with poured concrete, steel columns, and beams inside those blocks.
She made clear that homes followed the existing building code and the construction has been supervised by a team of licensed structural engineers and personnel from the Ministries of Works and Housing.
The minister said attacks of the Pine Crest development are attacks against the developer, Bahamian contractors, who have been out of work for two years, the Department of Housing’s technical staff and other qualified Bahamians at the Ministry of Works.
“You’re not insulting me. You’re not attacking the minister of housing…,” Coleby-Davis said.
“You’re actually attacking Bahamians who are working hard, who build this Bahamas under a new day government. Let me just make it clear that no amount of criticism, deputy speaker, will stop or slow down our missions to deliver affordable housing to Bahamians.”
The government is building 43 lots in the Pine Crest development in South Beach, with homes to be valued between $167,000 and $182,000.
The government broke ground for the subdivision in late January.
In recent weeks, purported photos of the Pine Crest development apparently partially flooded circulated social media.
“I do not wish to be drawn into debate as my purpose at the Department of Housing is solely on providing quality, affordable housing for Bahamian families,” she said.
“However, I caution the Bahamian people to be mindful of some critical voices as their agenda is clear.
“Deputy Speaker, no amount of noise or unfair criticism can erase the fact that under the previous administration of which many sitting opposite were apart, not one single house.
Coleby-Davis said it was interesting that Killarney MP Dr Hubert Minnis was in Pine Crest inspecting homes, when just a few months ago, the member, as the prime minister, could have constructed homes for Bahamians.
“I am happy that the ‘New Day’ government has gone about to provide houses that he himself can go and inspect and I am quite certain that he was very impressed by what he saw, hence the reason, he left,” she said.
Loading ...
